Global Security and Intelligence Studies Volume 2, Issue 1, Fall 2016 | Page 97

Is China Playing a Contradictory Role in Africa?
Burundi, and Tanzania, all receive weapons systems from China. The transfer of
weapons is inevitably accompanied by the dispatch of technical advisors by China,
or the training of African military personnel in China. China in addition, maintains
military attaches in some African nations such as Algeria, the DRC, Egypt, Ethiopia,
Liberia, Libya, Morocco, Mozambique, Nigeria, Namibia, Sudan, Tunisia, Zambia,
and Zimbabwe (Puska 2007). China supplies significant amounts of weapons to states
with critical resources that maintain strong trading ties with China However, there are
states such as Ghana or Uganda which are not significant in terms exporting critical
resources to China, but have strong ties with China. This means that China is also
using arms transfers as a means of enhancing its commercial profits.
Regardless of whether arms transfers have a negative or positive effect, they
are nonetheless one of Beijing’s instruments of economic policy and cementing
political ties with African nations. In Nigeria in particular, China willingly provides
weapons to the Nigerian state in its battle against insurgents in the oil-rich Niger Delta.
Naval patrol boats and arms have been readily supplied by China to help protect oil
infrastructure in the Delta against rebel attacks. In 2006, China’s state-controlled
oil firm, CNOOC negotiated an investment of over $2 billion for 45% of stake in a
Nigerian offshore oil field. In addition, 3 months later China invested an additional
$4 billion in oil infrastructure projects (Mahtani and White 2006). China continues
to expand its oil investments in Nigeria, as well as forging closer military ties (arms
transfers, military training, high level military cooperation, etc.) with the Nigerian
military. In a similar fashion, Zimbabwe’s economic importance correlates strongly
with its procurement of both small arms and more sophisticated weapons from China.
Zimbabwe is endowed with critical minerals holding the second largest deposits of
platinum as well as numerous other minerals including gold, copper, uranium, and
ferrochrome. As a result of its attractiveness to China, it is able to get both small arms
and more sophisticated military jets. The Mugabe regime is aware of the leverage it
has over China because of its focus on cementing ties with countries of geo-economic
importance. The Zimbabwean state takes advantage of this and is therefore able to
procure all sorts of arms and other technology from China. The Zimbabwean air
force is armed with K- jet aircrafts used in training jet fighter pilots and for use in
low intensity warfare. The Zimbabwean military is also in possession of 12 FC-1
fighter planes and several military vehicles worth over $200 million. In sum, Chinese
weapons have been widely dispersed in Africa. A few examples are Chinese weapons
in the hands of Chadean rebels fighting to overthrow the regime, or the use of Chinese
weapons in wars in Liberia, and Sierra Leone, as well as in many parts of eastern and
central Africa.
Peacekeeping Efforts by China
China does not only transfer military equipment on a bilateral basis, but it has
given monetary assistance to the OAU/AU Peace Fund in order to enhance
the organization’s ability to resolve African conflicts. Accordingly, in 1999 it
donated $100,000 to the OAU Peace Fund and again in 2000 an additional $200,000
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