China’s Policies Towards The Post-Arab Spring Africa

Abstract

This research article is an attempt to investigate China’s policies in Africa in the post-Arab Spring while focusing on the case study of Egypt, Nigeria, and Ethiopia.  China’s approach, reflected in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), emphasis on expanding its influence via substantial economic investments and diplomatic outreach. Throughout this power struggle, Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Egypt act as central figures due to their considerable energy reserves, and significant populations making them indispensable to the strategic interests among the great powers.  This article deals with China’s engagement with Africa historically, and the response to the Arab Spring and its implications for Africa. It also analyses China’s economic and resources diplomacy as well as soft power and cultural diplomacy in Africa. While China has concentrated on trade, resources extraction and infrastructure development, particularly in Egypt, Nigeria, and Ethiopia, its growing influence has raised concerns over debt sustainability and governance. It also discusses challenges and opportunities and has far-reaching implications for Africa’s governance structures, economic trajectory, and national sovereignty, while also recalibrating the broader contours of global power dynamics and international relations. For data collection, the study predominantly involve a qualitative content analysis methodology, as well as for data analysis, this study employs a thematic analysis approach, guided by Dependency theory articulated by Raul Prebisch. The article argues that China’s strategy is characterized by economic partnerships, resource extraction agreements and extensive infrastructure investments oriented towards accessing to raw materials and expanding its global and regional influence. The article finds that Chinese investments and FDI is instrumental in shaping the geo-political and socio-economic landscapes of Egypt, Nigeria, and Ethiopia and prioritize obtaining access to resources and to strengthen bilateral economic dependencies.