China and Zimbabwe: The Context and Contents of a Complex Relationship
Author: Abiodun Alao.
Alao, Abiodun. October 2014. "China and Zimbabwe: The Context and Contents of a Complex Relationship." Occasional Paper 202 28. Johannesburg: http://www.saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/saia_sop_202_alao_21041017.pdf
China’s relationship with Africa has been the subject of considerable interest and controversy.
The general assumption that the continent is moving closer to China because of its generosity
(in contrast with traditional Western partners) and the widespread allegation that China
is using this new-found relationship to exploit Africa’s natural resources, are among the
issues that have dominated headlines. However, few of China’s relationships with African
countries are of as much interest as the one it has with Zimbabwe. While China’s support
for the Zimbabwe African National Union in the war of liberation played in its favour and
gave the country a take-off advantage in the new Zimbabwe, the African country is using
China’s economic and diplomatic backing to weather criticism of its domestic policies. This
paper takes a detailed look at Sino
–
Zimbabwean relations, examining how these have
transformed over time, and concludes that the decades ahead are likely to be crucial for
the relationship between the two countries, especially as Zimbabwe has to begin looking
at a future without its aging president.Published: October 2014Typ: report