Asia, Africa must be ready for China's great power games

Clearly, China's BRI investments are not altruistic - they are designed to generate military advantages following the template of previous colonial powers.

By Sandeep Gopalan (Centrepiece)

  • Follow us on
  • google-news
  • whatsapp
  • telegram

Published: Sat 8 Sep 2018, 8:30 PM

Last updated: Sat 8 Sep 2018, 10:33 PM

China's relentless march to great power status continues unabated.
Through a combination of tried-and-tested strategies employed by previous imperial powers and its own unique methods, the country is expanding its influence and bolstering its military capabilities just as the United States is losing leadership. For, perhaps the first time, the heightened rhetoric from Washington is yielding insights on China's sophisticated strategies across trade, espionage, military hardware, and diplomatic posture. Countries in Asia and Africa need to take note of a new Pentagon report. Here's why.
The Pentagon issued a report as part of its mandate to Congress entitled, Military and Security Developments Involving the People's Republic of China covering the gamut of China's recent actions. In 2017, the People's Liberation Army underwent a massive restructuring "to create a more mobile, modular, lethal ground force capable of being the core of joint operations and able to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping's directive to 'fight and win wars.'" China also has also undertaken substantial enhancements of its air strike capability (to hit American targets further away from its territory) and naval assets. For instance, it has inducted an aircraft carrier and plans to expand naval capabilities to project force beyond its immediate maritime domain. The Pentagon notes that in addition to its base in Djbouti, China "will seek to establish additional military bases in countries with which it has a longstanding friendly relationship and similar strategic interests, such as Pakistan."
The report acknowledges China's unique strategy toward countries with which it has a history of territorial conflicts: "opportunistically timed progression of incremental but intensifying steps to attempt to increase effective control over disputed areas and avoid escalation to military conflict." This rings true in a number of contexts: notable examples are India and the Philippines. China's strategy appears to be to operate under the radar and seize advantage by inches. When cover is blown, China uses a combination of diplomacy, denials, military advantage, and economic muscle to stifle resistance. The Dhoklam incident provides a good example.
China's espionage is well recorded and the Pentagon documents "intelligence collection against US diplomatic, economic, academic, and defense industrial base sectors." This is likely to extend to other countries as well.
Like other powerful nations throughout history, China also employs trade and credit relationships to bind other countries to its interests. The DOD report notes, "China intends to use BRI to develop strong economic ties with other countries, shape their interests to align with China's, and deter confrontation or criticism of China's approach to sensitive issues."
True to that old adage about he who pays the piper calls the tune, the Pentagon acknowledges that "Countries participating in BRI could develop economic dependence on Chinese capital, which China could leverage to achieve its interests." This is not fearmongering - there is already evidence of economic dependence pressuring countries to behave in ways that suit China's interests.
Clearly, China's BRI investments are not altruistic - they are designed to generate military advantages following the template of previous colonial powers, which built railway networks, roads, and ports in alien lands. Sri Lanka and Pacific states such as Tonga, PNG, etc., have been vulnerable.
And these precedents ought to concern African countries as they participate in the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) meeting in Beijing this week. President Xi Jinping's opening address pledged "a 'five-no' approach in our relations with Africa: no interference in African countries' pursuit of development paths that fit their national conditions; no interference in African countries' internal affairs; no imposition of our will on African countries; no attachment of political strings to assistance to Africa; and no seeking of selfish political gains in investment and financing cooperation with Africa."
Although couched in altruistic terms, China's investments in Africa are undoubtedly designed to advance its strategic interests. This is as it should be - every state is entitled to pursue its legitimate interests within legal boundaries. In the African context, the difficulty is that African rulers have not always pursued the best interests of their countries. As the many African debt crises and cycles of debt forgiveness show, African leaders have burdened their citizens with debt. Therefore, whilst Chinese investment in Africa is to be welcomed, citizens should demand greater transparency into these deals and ensure accountability to prevent a new debt-trap.
Despite the caveats, China's African engagement must be lauded - whilst other countries condemned Africa, China quietly assumed a position of dominance by pursuing win-win projects. Chinese infrastructure investments will empower and enable more Africans to pursue economic opportunities. Likewise, rapidly growing Chinese tourism into Africa - Tunisia, for instance, expects 30,000 to 35,000 Chinese tourists in 2018 - will promote development and understanding.
Similarly, the massive numbers of African students pursuing higher education in China will spawn a new elite influenced by Chinese ideas much as previous waves into the UK and US exported Western ideas into Asia and Africa.
In the end, fearmongering about China will not advance American interests. Asian and African countries need investments to build critical infrastructure, technology to improve efficient delivery of governance and services, healthcare to improve lives, and education to equip young people to gain meaningful employment. The West has not met these needs adequately and China has filled that void. And like the West, China's engagement will be designed to advance its strategic interests. It is the responsibility of African and Asian countries to protect theirs as they partner with China.
Sandeep Gopalan is Pro Vice-Chancellor, Deakin University, Australia


More news from