Models of Chinese Engagement in Africas Extractive Sectors and Their Implications

摘要

In recent years, China has sourced an increasing amount of oil and minerals from Africa. Chinas imports from Africa have grown from US$5.43 billion in 2002 to US$113.2 billion in 2012; this means a 20-fold increase within a decade. In terms of value, oil and minerals account for over 60% of the total imports in 2012. Angola, Sudan, and Libya were among the major oil suppliers for China during the last decade. Angola even became China's largest oil supplier briefly in 2008 and 2010, surpassing Saudi Arabia. China's rapid expansion in Africa's extractive sectors has attracted global attention. People are eager to understand how China gets natural resources from Africa and how this will impact the continent's development. Some critics are particularly concerned that China is becoming a neo-colonialist power in Africa by taking resources away and leaving nothing behind.