The trade relationship between China and Africa continues to grow. Within a couple of years, China is expected to surpass the U.S. as Africa’s primary trading partner, with a projected trading relationship worth $100 billion a year [PDF].
Some of this trade, however, involves countries like Sudan and Zimbabwe, where human rights abuses have been cited. China is a permanent member of the United Nation’s Security Council, and the nation’s self-interest in Africa has been criticized for blocking U.N. action in Darfur and ultimately helping to fuel the crisis there.
In Kenya, the Chinese are building roads, shipping in goods and selling them in Chinese-owned shops. Kenyans are learning Chinese and Chinese are learning Swahili.
Listen to our online radio show on China’s role in Africa and view an interactive map of China’s recent diplomatic efforts on the continent.
Worldfocus special correspondent Martin Seemungal and producer Yuval Lion report from Kenya and Tanzania on China’s aggressive moves into the region’s marketplace.
03/18/2009 :: 11:11:25 AM
African Trade Booms as World Economy Collapses « The World InSight Says:
[...] will become Africa’s primary trading partner this year, speeding ahead of the United States. In Kenya, for instance, Chinese investors have begun to build infrastructure, roads, and selling Chinese [...]