Leveraging the Dragon Toward an Africa That Can Say No

This research paper by the South African Institute of International Affairs analyzes the evolving relationship between China and Africa. It argues that African nations must shift from an ideological 'liberation paradigm' to a pragmatic 'economic paradigm' to avoid Chinese dominance and ensure mutual benefit. The author suggests that Africa should leverage China's need for energy resources to secure technology transfer, local development projects, and fairer trade terms, while utilizing the China-Africa Co-operation Forum to coordinate a continent-wide strategy.

• Trade between China and Africa grew significantly in the early 2000s, increasing from $10 billion in 2000 to $18 billion in 2003.
• While China's engagement is driven by a need for energy resources, its support for the military regime in Sudan during a humanitarian crisis has raised concerns about its activities in Africa.
• African states face significant trade imbalances with China, particularly in South Africa, Nigeria, and Sudan, due to a commodity-based exchange and Chinese industrial overcapacity. In South Africa, the trade deficit rose from $24 million in 1992 to $400 million in 2001.
• The author recommends that African governments require 'tie-in' projects, such as training programs and technology transfer, as a standard condition for foreign investment, citing Angola's $2 billion loan as an example of Beijing's flexibility in pursuing resources.
• There is a conflict between China's commitment to stop the illegal trafficking of small arms in Africa, as stated in the October 2000 Beijing Declaration, and the actual appearance of Chinese light arms in the Congo and support for Burundian factions.
• The paper suggests that African nations should move away from a 'residual liberation paradigm' based on shared ideology toward a 'contemporary economic paradigm' to protect their national interests.
• The author proposes using the China-Africa Co-operation Forum to establish a code of conduct based on the African Union and Nepad principles, supplemented by an annual review process similar to the African Peer Review Mechanism.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2008). Leveraging the Dragon Toward an Africa That Can Say No. https://saiia.org.za/research/special-feature-leveraging-the-dragon-toward-an-africa-that-can-say-no/

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. Leveraging the Dragon Toward an Africa That Can Say No. 2008. https://saiia.org.za/research/special-feature-leveraging-the-dragon-toward-an-africa-that-can-say-no/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=Leveraging the Dragon Toward an Africa That Can Say No |date=25 April 2008 |url=https://saiia.org.za/research/special-feature-leveraging-the-dragon-toward-an-africa-that-can-say-no/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2008leveraging, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{Leveraging the Dragon Toward an Africa That Can Say No}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2008}, month = apr, url = {https://saiia.org.za/research/special-feature-leveraging-the-dragon-toward-an-africa-that-can-say-no/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }