China makes moves

China is on the move! Two big moves in 2 weeks. First they convinced (or arm twisted?) North Korea to restart the six party talks. Now they have held a conference soliciting relations with the most ignored but resource endowed continent; Africa.

We can discuss North Korea separately. However the moves on Africa is interest according to me. It is interesting that China has chosen Africa at this time. America is caught up in a struggle in middle east. Pressure on natural resources is increasing day by day. The fight has begun. While American policy is to go after the top of list of countries endowed with natural resources (Saudi Arabia, Iraq), China seems to be approaching it differently. It is going after areas which might have good sources of these resources but are politically risky.

Africa is a continent engulfed with complexities. For America, exploitation of the resources in the continent, requires a compromise with its foreign policy principles of democracy. Also America is militarily caught up in another area of the world - Iraq and no matter what the rhetoric, that fight is also tied to the fact of ensuring resources for the future; it is just a different approach- the belief that democracy in these countries will make the countries strong allies of America in the future.

China on the other hand has no such scruples. It is purely interested in accessing the resources, the political situation in these countries are of minimal interest to it as far as it does not interfere with its original goal. So this conference in China. Where with promises of loans and debt relief, China is seen as a champion of the African nations. There is no talk of human rights abuses or the requirement of reforming the continent either in terms of economic reform or political reform (as would have been the case had America hosted such a conference). The African leadership is more than eager to therefore work with China as it can go on about its business and enrich themselves without any commitment to reforming their countries.

However I feel once America gets out of its Imbroglio in Iraq and if Africa delivers on its natural resources, the next foreign policy battle ground could be Africa.