This document discusses China's involvement in African development through Chinese development assistance programs, the Belt and Road Initiative, and the Digital Silk Road. It begins by distinguishing between traditional and emerging donors before examining the drivers and impacts of Chinese development assistance. While some view China's approach as a rival to the Western model, the document notes Chinese assistance is based on principles of equality, mutual benefit, and respect for sovereignty. It also finds little evidence Chinese aid undermines governance or environments in Africa. The document then outlines China's Belt and Road Initiative and Digital Silk Road projects expanding across the continent while acknowledging concerns about growing Chinese influence in Africa. It concludes by reflecting on implications for debt sustainability and shifts in global power as the US reconsiders its

1. China in
Africa
Joshua C. Gellers, PhD
COAS Scholars Lecture Series
19 January 2022
Photo: Christopher Herwig/Reuters

2. Roadmap
1) Differences between traditional and
(re)emerging donors
2) Chinese development assistance,
drivers, and impacts
3) Chinese development assistance in
Africa
5) Observations about China’s role in
African development
2
4) Belt and Road Initiative and Digital
Silk Road

3. Donor Types
Traditional Donors
• DAC countries
• France, Germany, Japan,
Sweden, Switzerland, UK,
United States, etc.
Emerging Donors
• Non-DAC countries
• China, India, Iran, Korea,
Mexico, South Africa,
Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam,
etc.
3

4. (Re)emerging
Donors?
• Myth: Emerging donors like China and
India represent a new trend in foreign
aid
• Reality: (See timeline below)
4

5. Concerns of Traditional Donors
• Support rogue regimes, reduce
access to raw materials, shift
economic relationships away from
the West
Undermine
Western
interests abroad
• Esp. in terms of environmental
protection, good governance, and
transparency
Change the
rules of the
development
assistance game
5

6. A “Beijing”
Consensus?
• Myth: China has established a unique model of
development assistance intended to rival the
West’s Washington Consensus model
• Reality: BC is not a fixed package of development
aid, but a flexible approach to assistance
• Based on 8 principles of foreign aid (Enlai 1964):
– (i) equality and mutual benefit;
– (ii) respect for sovereignty with no conditions
attached;
– (iii) provided through interest‐free or low
interest loans;
– (iv) promotes self‐reliance, not dependency;
– (v) quick results;
– (vi) uses best‐quality equipment of Chinese
manufacture;
– (vii) emphasises technology transfer through
technical assistance;
– (viii) Chinese experts will live at the standard
of local experts.
6

7. Drivers of Chinese Foreign Assistance
Political: Promote ‘One China’ policy
Economic: Access resources & markets
Strategic: Enhance status, assert
sovereignty
7

8. Impacts of Chinese Foreign Assistance
Salience, lack of empirical evidence
Progress from the policy banks
The deference problem
8
A bad reputation at home and abroad

9. China in Africa
9
Source: www.chinaafricaloandata.org
Foreign aid or foreign assistance?

10. ‘Rogue Aid’ to Africa?
Hypothesis Result
H1: Poor environmental credentials Non-linear
H2: Need for foreign assistance No support
H3: Plentiful natural resources No support
H4: Compete with DAC countries No support
H5: Poor institutions No support
10
Source: Gellers and Jeffords (2019)

11. China’s Belt and Road Initiative
11

12. Current BRI Footprint
12

13. Digital Silk Road
13
Source: Dekker et al. (2020)

14. DSR in Africa
14
Source: Tugendhat and Voo (2021)
DSR
Announced

15. Digital Silk
Road
Concerns
15
• Crowd out Western business, expand
into foreign markets, transform Chinese
economy
Commercial:
• Counter Western influence in the
developing world, shape global
technology standards, become AI
superpower
Political:
• Expand surveillance, strengthen
authoritarian regimes, control the flow
of information
Security:

16. China in Africa: Reflections
• A looming debt
crisis?
• Shifting power in
the global economy
• Time for the US to
rethink its strategy
16

17. Further Reading
17

18. THANK YOU.
QUESTIONS?
18
Email: josh.gellers@unf.edu
Twitter: @JoshGellers
Website: www.joshgellers.com