Foreign Policy and Diplomacy of the People’s Republic of China on the African Continent

Abstract

The article is devoted to the study of the peculiarities of China's foreign policy and diplomacy on the African continent. The subject of analysis is the most important area of Sino-African relations and the prospects for their development in the future. The growing need for natural resources due to China's rapid transition to a market-oriented economy has stimulated Beijing to search for new markets and energy sources, including the African continent. In addition, China considers Africa an integral part of the foundation of the Chinese foreign policy narrative about the non-universal nature of the ideals of Western democracies. In its African policy, Beijing is guided primarily by the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of countries and non-imposition of its demands. Even despite the significant growth of China's influence on the African continent at the beginning of the 21st century, Beijing did not have a specific global action plan for African countries for a long time, and its activities were limited to commercial projects, the intensification of discussions of the African issue in the discourse of Chinese political leaders makes it possible to predict that the African direction of China's foreign policy is moving towards further institutionalization. In 2015-2017, there was a certain slowdown in the development of Sino-African relations. Still, the beginning of trade conflicts between the PRC and the USA due to the Trump administration's policies again stimulated Beijing to intensify the African direction of its foreign policy. We can conclude from the 2018 Beijing Summit that China's claim to Africa has increased, especially since Beijing considered criticism from the West and adjusted its African policy. More than ever before, Africa is emphasized as the "foundation of the foundation of China's foreign policy", focused on supporting developing countries. The construction of this coalition is carried out not only at the expense of economic rewards but also increasingly with the help of soft power in the form of media, educational programs and institutions for the education of future African political elites.