An Enemy from the East or Friends with Benefits:An Evaluation of Africa’s Trade Relations with China under BRICS
Paul S. Masumbe 
Issue: Vol.5 No.4 Issue Article 15 pp.546-553
DOI: https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.20245415 | Published online 19th April, 2024
© 2024 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Over the past decade, Africa’s trading relationship with China has been growing exponentially. Most African countries have welcomed the trading policies and opportunities offered by China over other Western superpowers. With the emergence of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) bloc, and South Africa leading other African countries to join this grouping, Africa’s trading relationship will be greatly influenced by China and BRICS. Consequently, the key issue now is whether China and BRICS are re-scrambling for Africa’s untapped resources or whether the relationship will create mutual benefits for both sides. Using a qualitative research approach, this article examined China’s interest in Africa and engages the critical question of whether such a relationship will benefit the people of Africa, or it is just another form of neo-colonisation. The study used a desk research approach with data collected from secondary sources such as articles, literature surveys, the internet and other electronic sources dealing with Africa’s trade relations with China. The article concludes that the future of African trade will be dominated by China and BRICS given their continuously growing influence and participation in development projects in the continent, despite accusations of exploitation and abuse by Chinese companies in some parts of Africa. This paper adds to existing literature on enhancing Africa’s trading relationship with China and BRICS.
Keywords: African trading with China, Africa and BRICS, South Africa leading Africa into BRICS, Colonisation, Re-scramble for Africa
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Paul S. Masumbe (LLD) is a Senior Lecturer & Chair, Research and Higher Degrees, School of Law, and Acting Faculty Chair, Research and Higher Degrees, Faculty of Law, Humanities and Social Sciences, Walter Sisulu University. His research interests include International Criminal Law, Human Rights, Labour Law, and selected areas of Private Law.
Masumbe, Paul S. “An Enemy from the East or Friends with Benefits: An Evaluation of Africa’s Trade Relations with China under BRICS,” E-Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences 5, no.4 (2024): 546-553. https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.20245415
© 2024 The Author(s). Published and Maintained by Noyam Journals. This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
