China’s meddling in Africa has often raised a few eyebrows, in part because of the ‘aid first, questions later’ attitude. Pouring large amounts of money into many of the continent’s 54 countries, markedly in sub-Saharan Africa, without putting pressure on said countries to address critical issues has the West criticizing the Far East’s intentional propping up of totalitarian and dictatorial regimes.

With a vital veto in the UN Security Council, China holds tremendous sway in the events occurring in Africa. In a recent UN landmark vote, China was among a subset of five nations on the Security Council that abstained when UN Resolution 1973 was passed — one that authorized a no-fly zone across large swaths in the Libyan Arab Republic; a decision that would protect civilians.

Aside from recent events, two books have detailed the past several years of ‘cooperation’ coming to the forefront in detailing China’s involvement within Africa. The Dragon’s Gift: The Real Story of China in Africa, written by Deborah Brautigam, is a heavily researched account of China’s acceleration in its staying power within the resource-laden continent. A great deal of money is involved, no doubt. Whether monies and aid is genuine is perhaps a means to an end — both parties appear to be benefiting from this mutually exclusive relationship. China will not deal with the handful of African countries that still have economic ties with Taiwan.

“The idea of China as a model for prosperity has captured the imagination of many ordinary Africans, although others fear the threat of competition from the Chinese industrial juggernaut, and the rise of Chinese traders competing at the entry level in local African markets,” Brautigam says in The Dragon’s Gift. “On the one hand, we see excitement and anticipation; on the other, unease about Chinese aid and state-sponsored economic engagement.”

The book rests its thesis on the success of economic aid — when money talks, Africans listen. To the tune of hundreds of billions of dollars annually, projects and initiatives occur that never would have otherwise. It is for the reader to decide whether ignorance is bliss on the subject of local labor regulations within special economic zones, mines and job sites.

“[The Chinese] believe in investment, trade and technology as levers for development, and they are applying these same tools in their African engagement, not out of altruism but because of what they learned at home,” Brautigam says. “They learned that a central government commitment to capitalist business development could rapidly reduce poverty.”

China’s challenge for Africa is for their investment or, one may say, experiment to follow their lead and attain the rapid growth that the former has achieved. Tapping an incalculable resource field is truly at the heart of China’s intentions.

China Safari: On the Trail of Beijing’s Expansion in Africa, originally published as La Chinafrique by authors Serge Michel and Michel Beuret, paints a vivid portrait of China’s influence. Traveling to 12 African countries in between sojourns to China and Taiwan, the authors present a very readable travelogue — their intention is making the book appeal to a wide demographic. By interacting, not just speaking with laymen on the ground, it makes their reportage that much better. With a brief history of each country visited and telling commentary accompanying each trek into the jungle or city development project, the authors manage to eke out mentions of the controversial subjects present in Brautigam’s book. Michel and Beuret present an argument that politics and business is messy within Africa, something that China seems quite content with.

“The ball, however, is firmly in the African leaders’ court; they now have the means to see their ambitions through to fulfillment. International organizations have never offered them such huge unconditional loans as China is now offering.”

To borrow words from Julius Caesar, Veni vidi vici — I came, I saw, I conquered — whether Africans are satisfied with a similar Chinese intent remains to be seen. Would it be in their best interests? What other alternatives do they possess? And, more importantly, where do they go from here? bt

The Dragon’s Gift: The Real Story of China in Africa
Deborah Brautigam
397 pages, paperback
Oxford University Press
LE 130

China Safari: On the Trail of Beijing’s Expansion in Africa
Serge Michel and Michel Beuret
Photographs by Paolo Woods
306 pages, paperback
Nation Books
LE 115