Japan and China’s Summit Competition in Africa

The document analyzes the bidirectional relationship between 'Africa Plus One' summits (TICAD and FOCAC) and the G20, focusing on how Japan and China use these platforms to compete for influence in Africa while integrating African development priorities into global governance.

• Japan's Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) has evolved from an aid-centric initiative in 1993 toward a business-focused approach that prioritizes the private sector, entrepreneurship, and investment.
• China's Forum on China–Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) began with a narrow focus on trade and investment but has expanded to include peace, security, and skills transfer due to pressure from African leaders.
• China used its 2016 G20 presidency to reorient the body's agenda toward sustainable development and African industrialisation, drawing on its experience and self-identification as a developing country via FOCAC.
• Japan promoted 'quality infrastructure' during its 2019 G20 presidency as a strategic counter to China's infrastructure model, emphasizing transparency, anti-corruption, and sustainability.
• Japan's 'Free and Open Indo-Pacific' (FOIP) vision, first raised at TICAD VI in 2016, competes with China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) by focusing on infrastructural connectivity, the rule of law, and the 'Blue Economy' in the Indian Ocean.
• While China has historically increased financing to Africa through FOCAC—reaching $60 billion in 2015—commitments plateaued at $60 billion in 2018, reflecting concerns over debt sustainability and 'debt-trap diplomacy' criticisms.

APA

van Staden, C. (2020). Japan and China’s Summit Competition in Africa. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Policy-Insights-78-van-staden.pdf

Chicago

van Staden, Cobus. Japan and China’s Summit Competition in Africa. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2020. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Policy-Insights-78-van-staden.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=van Staden |first1=Cobus |title=Japan and China’s Summit Competition in Africa |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=January 2020 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Policy-Insights-78-van-staden.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{vanstaden2020japan, author = {van Staden, Cobus}, title = {{Japan and China’s Summit Competition in Africa}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2020}, month = jan, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Policy-Insights-78-van-staden.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }