China's Geostrategic Aims in Africa. Relations with Zimbabwe

Abstract

        According to the Chinese government, the beginning of comprehensive aid to Africa began during the period of its decolonization and the establishment of new bilateral relations in the early 1960s.

            In this article we will look at the main areas of cooperation between China and Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe and China often describe their ties as a historically strong "all-weather" relationship that has seen both good and difficult times. Bilateral relations between the countries were established on April 18, 1980, the day Zimbabwe declared independence. Nevertheless, relations did not actively develop for almost two decades, this was due to internal changes in China with the rise of Deng Xiao Ping to power, as well as the emergence of Zimbabwe as an independent state [1]. A new impetus came in the early 2000s, when the government and Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe adopted the Look East policy.

            The government of Zimbabwe decided to adopt a new policy vector after the deterioration of relations with Western countries, especially with its former metropolis, Great Britain. The causes of the conflict were, firstly, land reform, which consisted of the forced transfer of land from Europeans to the local population. Secondly, violence against the population and violations of human rights during the electoral race in Zimbabwe in 2000 (parliamentary elections) and 2002 (presidential elections) were condemned. Great Britain, the European Union and the United States accused the Mugabe government of violating human rights and imposed sanctions on the leadership of Zimbabwe, imposed an embargo on arms supplies from the West, and also reduced the issuance of grants and loans. This led to a serious economic crisis in Zimbabwe.

          Realizing that it is necessary to look for new partners, the government of Zimbabwe in 2003 proclaimed the “Look to the East” policy, implying a reorientation and intensification of political and economic relations with Asian countries. It is worth noting that the “Look East” policy was still more of a principle than an official foreign policy concept, since it was not ratified by law.

          Zimbabwe placed particular hope in China, since the African government was impressed by China's position of non-interference in the internal affairs of its partners, as well as the huge market for the sale of agricultural and raw materials. Beijing was interested in minerals such as gold, platinum, chromium, copper, nickel, cobalt, rare metals, bauxite, coal, uranium and precious stones, which can be used to develop the industrial sector.

            Thus, since the 2000s. Trade between the two countries began to actively develop. In 2002, trade turnover between the two countries amounted to $191 million, and already in 2013 it amounted to $1.1 billion. It is worth noting that most of China’s bilateral assistance was associated with the use of materials of Chinese origin, which contributed to the promotion of Chinese imports into Zimbabwe.

China is currently the destination for more than half of Zimbabwe's tobacco exports, amounting to over 200 million kilograms per year. It should also be noted that, according to some researchers, the Zimbabwean government has consistently entered into opaque business and investment contracts with China, which mainly benefit the ruling elites, strengthening their power [9]. A majority of Zimbabweans believe China has had a positive impact on their domestic economy, while 31 percent believe China's impact has been negative.

              To understand the foreign policy of the current Zimbabwean government, it must be said that after internal disagreements in the government of Robert Mugabe and his ex-vice president Emmerson Mnangagwa, a military coup took place on November 14, 2017, and mass demonstrations forced Robert Mugabe to resign as president of Zimbabwe. This paved the way for Mnangagwa to be sworn in as the future president of the African country on November 24, 2017. The elections were notable because for the first time in 16 years the government allowed the EU and the US to observe pre-election events in the country, which can be interpreted as an initial sign that the new administration is resuming negotiations with Western countries in connection with restrictions imposed in the early 2000s. In President Mnangagwa's inauguration speech in 2017, he emphasized that the main driver of his administration would be the country's economic development. His foreign policy agenda focused on attracting foreign direct investment, exports, the creation of special economic zones, and the formation of a program of re-engagement with all countries of the world , commitment to repay debts and an active interest in establishing new relationships.

               In conclusion, we can say that relations between the two countries are stable, despite the expansion of Zimbabwe's interests towards the West. For Zimbabwe, bilateral relations with China are of great importance in the field of national economics. Moreover, as China remains a major foreign direct investor in Zimbabwe, President Emmerson M Nangagwa's administration is likely to continue strengthening relations with the PRC to attract more Chinese direct investment into the country.