Global Security and Intelligence Studies Volume 2, Issue 1, Fall 2016 | Page 105

Is China Playing a Contradictory Role in Africa?
and peace-building, contradicted by the proliferation of light and inexpensive weapons
implicated in some of the most serious cases of bloodletting on the continent. It could
be argued that as China widens its engagement with African states it will continue to
consolidate military agreements, and engage in more arms transfers on a continent that
already has a strong potential for the eruption of more conflicts related a combination
of gross inequalities, ethnic rivalry and diversity, and the absence of the rule of law, as
well as a strong culture of coups, civil wars, and other forms of civil strife. While it is
true that China is not the only great power supplying weapons to African states, the
affordability of Chinese weapons enables protracted African wars, and their continued
proliferation within the continent. This is more likely to be the case in both the near and
distant future because China often does not adhere to UN arms embargoes, sanctions
against African states, or their diplomatic isolation. Its preoccupation to consolidate
its diplomatic ties, and strengthen its partnerships with African states means it often
takes an approach different from those of Western states.
References
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Baah, Anthony Y., and Herbert Jauch, eds. 2009. “Chinese Investments in Africa: A
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