Facts About China's Ties With Africa

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao heads to Egypt this week to attend the second Africa-China summit. Here are some facts about the much-discussed ties between China and Africa, au subject of increased interest – even worry – across the globe:

TRADE AND INVESTMENT

Trade between China and Africa has jumped in the past decade, driven by China's resource needs and growing African demand for cheap Chinese-made products. In 2008, total trade was 106.8 billion USD, up 45.1% on 2007. In 2000, trade was only 10.5 billion USD.

China's imports from Africa were 56 billion USD in 2008, and its exports to African states, including both sub-Saharan and North Africa, were 50.8 billion USD.

China's imports from Africa are dominated by oil and mineral shipments from a handful of countries: Angola, Sudan, Nigeria, Zambia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and its smaller neighbor, the Republic of the Congo.

DEVELOPING TIES

Newly independent African states became important diplomatic allies of China during the 1950s and 1960s, when Mao Zedong's Communist Party supported independence movements and gave aid to new nations.

African nations also formed an important bloc supporting Beijing in international forums, and were instrumental in ejecting Taiwan from China's seat at the United Nations in 1971.

President Hu Jintao has made consolidating ties with Africa a feature of his foreign policy. In 2006, Beijing hosted its first summit with African leaders and announced promises to boost trade and aid. China has partially canceled debts owed by the poorest African countries and also lifted tariffs on their goods.

Critics say China's aid to Africa is too closely tied to commercial goals and does not demand sufficient accountability from governments accused of corruption and human rights abuses. However, Western nations' record on governance and clean business in Africa has also been checkered.

DIPLOMATIC TIES

In past years, Beijing has competed with Taiwan, the self-governed island that China says is a breakaway province, for the diplomatic recognition of some African governments.

Four African states -- Burkina Faso, Gambia, Sao Tome and Principe, and Swaziland -- still maintain diplomatic ties with Taiwan. Some countries have switched ties numerous times, hoping to squeeze more aid out of either China or Taiwan.

Malawi is the most recent African country to establish ties with China, severing links with Taiwan in December 2007.

CONTROVERSIES

Rights groups say China, which last year imported 6.3 billion USD of Sudanese crude oil, has failed to do enough to stop bloodshed in Sudan's strife-torn Darfur and has violated a U.N. arms embargo on the region. China denies the charges and has appointed its own envoy to try to bring peace to Darfur.

China's Foreign Ministry says critics who suggest China is only interested in Africa because of its energy resources are "erroneous and one-sided."

Sources: Reuters, Chinese state media.

 Full story in English