China's role in Africa will continue to grow in the coming decades. There are many reasons for this, not the least of which is China's voracious appetite and need for oil. But the Chinese have shown little interest in issues related to human rights, which they always shrug off as being a matter of internal politics and thus no within their ambit, since the Chinese profess to value national sovereignty above all. (For a collection of posts on China and Africa over at dcat see here.)
It is almost impossible to tell whether China's influence on Africa will be to the continent's benefit or its detriment. Despite the fact that China clearly wants greater enagement with Africa than any other global power there is a certain level of asymmetry involved that is worrisome, and the Chinese disregard for human rights concerns indicates that Africa's Big Men will be able to lean on Chinese support without having to undergo even a pretense of reform. Chinese support will thus prop us despots while milking the continent of resources and increasing dependence on a powerful and rich foreign state. These hardly are the ideal conditions for development.
