Policy Briefing - The Centre for Chinese Studies

May 2012November 2011Assessing China’s Role in Foreign DirectInvestment in Southern AfricaMarch 2011Table 1: Overview of commitments made during FOCAC meetings.FOCAC I (2000) FOCAC II (2003) FOCAC III (2006) FOCAC IV (2009)Financial commitmentsDebt cancellation of up to RMB10 billion for the HIPC and LDCcountries in Africa within 2years.Trade and investment▪ give preference to import ofAfrican products “in the light ofdemands and conditions of theChinese market”▪ ensure operation of Investmentand Trade Promotion Centresby China in Africa and assistAfrican states to set up similarentities in China.▪ establish a China-Africa JointBusiness Council▪ create a China-Africa ProductsExhibition Centre in China▪ China will provide special fundsto support Chinese investmentsin AfricaCapacity building▪ send additional medical teamsto Africa, including equipment,in order to train local medicalstaff.▪ establish an African HumanResources Development Fund(AHRDF)Environmental cooperationIn areas including pollution control,biodiversity conservation,protection of forests, fisheriesand wildlife management.Financial commitmentsChina will continue to increaseassistance for Africancountries (no figures provided)Trade and investmentChina will grant tariff-freeaccess to some commoditiesfrom LDCsCapacity buildingChina will train up to 10,000African personnel in variousfields within 3 yearsCultural cooperation▪ China will sponsor an artfestival focussing on Africanarts and a Chinese culturalpresentation in Africa.▪ China will hold a China-Africa Youth Festival in Chinain 2004.OtherChina will grant Approved(Tourism) Destination Statusto eight African countries forChinese citizens who covertheir own expenses.Financial commitments▪ Double aid to Africa by 2009 (2006as benchmark year)▪ provide US$ 3 billion as preferentialloans US$ 2 billion as preferentialbuyer’s credits within 3 years▪ provide RMB 300 million (ca. US$ 40million) for artemisin (anti-malariadrug),▪ Cancel government debt; namely:matured interest-free loans due in2005 owed by HIPC and LDCs.Trade and investment▪ set up the China-Africa DevelopmentFund (CADFund), an investment fundwith US$ 5 billion capital▪ increase the number of zero-tariffexport items from 190 to 440 for the30 least developed African countries▪ establish 3 to 5 trade and economiccooperation zones in Africa within 3years.Capacity buildingWithin 3 years: train 15,000 Africanprofessional, send 100 senior agriculturalexperts, set up 10 special agriculturalcentres, build 30 malaria preventioncentres, dispatch 300 youth volunteers,and increase the number ofscholarships for African students from2,000 to 4,000 per year.Infrastructure▪ build an African Union conferencecentre▪ build 100 rural schools▪ build 30 hospitalsFinancial commitments▪ provide US$ 10 billion in concessionalloans▪ provide US$ 1 billion for Africansmall and medium size business▪ cancel debt associated with interest-freegovernment loans due tomature by the end of 2009Trade and investment▪ duty-free and quota-free treatmentfor 95% of products fromAfrican LDCsCapacity building▪ launch China-Africa science andtechnology partnership, carry out100 joint demonstration projects onscience and technology researchand receive 100 African postdoctoralfellows in China.▪ train 20,000 professionals in variousfields▪ increase the number of agriculturaldemonstration centres to 20,send 50 agricultural technologyteams, and train 2,000 agriculturalexperts▪ launch a China-Africa joint researchand exchange programme.▪ build 50 China-Africa friendshipschools and train 1,500 schoolprincipals; increase governmentscholarships to Africa to 5,500within 3 years.Source: Forum on China-Africa Cooperation.d’engagements, tel que « doubler les aides » alors que laChine n’a officiellement défini ce qu’est l’aide dans sapolitique d’aide chinoise de 2011. Cependant, il s’agitégalement d’une réaction aux attentes toujours grandissantesdu côté africain, qui se tourne de plus en plus vers la Chinepour obtenir son aide et son attention. Ces demandes ne sontque rarement basées sur une analyse de la volonté etcapacité politique de la Chine et sont donc souvent irréalistes.Étant donné les besoins persistants et les tensions politiquesen Chine, l’attention de Beijing se tourne principalement versles problèmes de développement domestiques.Le FCSA a été inauguré sous le président chinois Jiang Zemin.Pourtant, il a été façonné par le président Hu Jintao et lepremier ministre Wen Jiabao, tous deux sont arrivés aupouvoir en 2002. Ils quitteront tous deux leurs rôles au seinde leur parti en octobre 2012 et leurs fonctions d’états enmars 2013.En mars 2012, le discours du premier ministre Wen Jiabao aucongrès national du peuple s’est concentré sur les urgentesreformes politiques et économiques. Il affirma que desreformes graduelles et soignées étaient essentielles pour laChine et que de telles reformes entraineraient une série dedéfis si on prend en compte la transition de pouvoir qui auralieu en Chine en mars 2013. De nouvelles nominations au