Trade and Industrial Policy in Africa: the Impact of China's Growing Influence in the Region

Abstract

In recent years, China-Africa trade and economic relationship, fueled by China’s economic demand for oil and raw materials, has been on the increase. This has raised several questions which include: (a) what is the emerging pattern of trade and investments in China-Africa trade relations? (b) Are there any structural differences between the relationship of African countries with the Western Nations and the emerging relationship with China? (c) How will this emerging China-Africa relationship impact on the trade and industrial policies of African countries? (d) What are the implications of this emerging relationship for Africa’s industrial development? This paper argues that while the growing trade and economic relationship with China is welcome, there is need for African countries to develop clearly defined industrialization programmes which will aid technology transfer and help African economies move up the value chain in their production and industrialization bid. This is the only way that African countries can avoid replacing western economic colonialism with Chinese economic colonialism. Any expectation that African countries will develop simply based on the benevolence of China is nothing but a myth.

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