FOCAC and South-South cooperation – the case of the African Union
South-South cooperation has always been an important platform for China’s foreign policy. This is also strongly evident in its cooperation with Africa and in its relationship with the African Union (AU). Development aid has been an important and major instrument in China’s cooperation with Africa – and more so than in relation to other regions. This chapter maps and analyses the role of development aid in China’s engagement with the AU and regional cooperation in Africa. The analysis includes case studies of Chinese support to health and to peace and security. China provides limited development aid directly to the AU and regional institutions. Chinese aid is primarily bilateral and provided to individual African countries. The aid to AU is dominated by support for physical infrastructure such as AU’s new headquarters, and inviting AU staff to visit and attend training courses in China. Political dialogue and engagement are also dominant features. However, China’s foreign policy principles of sovereignty and non-interference are under pressure from its engagement and are forcing China to make adaptions to its principles. Furthermore, the chapter finds that there is limited cooperation with other donor countries – both traditional and new – in the Chinese support. China has limited or no cooperation with other non-African South countries and non-traditional donors in its engagement with the AU and in its South-South diplomacy in Africa.
https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003485025-6
