OPINION AND ANALYSIS: Africa must get ready for China shift under new US leadership

Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa in talks with Chinese Foreign Affairs minister Wang Yi (second right) in Dar es Salaam at a past event. Left is Tazania’s Foreign Affairs Minister Augustine Mahiga. PHOTO | FILE

What you need to know:

How will Trump’s administration affect AGOA? Will a Trump economy negatively affect remittances from the African Diaspora?

Many are bracing for protectionism from Trump and even a trade war. In Africa, we’re looking at the developments in the USA with a mixture of amusement and concern.

How will Trump’s administration affect AGOA? Will a Trump economy negatively affect remittances from the African Diaspora?

To what extent will FDI from the US into Africa be affected as investors scramble to adjust to policy action? Will Trump’s insularity be reflected in US support to Africa’s economy?

China is cognisant of the global havoc being wrought by Trump and the lacuna in global leadership he is creating through the singularity of his ‘America First’ rhetoric. China is aware of the fact there will be economic implications that will affect it during the Trump era.

China may lose out on investment that had targeted the country in the context of global value chains.

The Harvard Business School makes the point that major global manufacturers worry that Trump’s new policies (such as the introduction of 20 per cent border tax) could disrupt their global manufacturing plans, which have been carefully constructed to optimise the efficiency of their supply chains based on free trade policies.

If the tax is effected, calculations may dim China’s prospects of continuing as the world’s factory. On the other hand, China may benefit from Trump’s insularity and take advantage of the weakened presence of the US in the global economic arena.

Perhaps this informed the speech made by the China’s leader Xi Jinping during the World Economic Forum where he stressed that pursuing protectionism is just like locking one’s self in a dark room; he supported continued globalisation.

So what does this all mean for Africa? Firstly, Africa should prepare for a China that seeks to take the reins of the world leader both economically and politically.

Africa should expect China to more aggressively engage in consolidating its economic strength and influencing global trade rules and dynamics to its advantage. There is a sense that Trump does not really understand the continent and is still trying to figure out the best course of action in Africa.

That said, Trump’s does have a Sino-phobic trade advisor, Peter Navarro, who is of the view that China dominates the continent and is locking out the US.

Time will tell whether such sentiments will translate to determined action from the Trump administration in Africa or not. What is clear is that China is likely to be willing to step up its activity in Africa as the US figures out its strategy.

And once a Trump strategy for Africa is developed, China will analyse the trade, investment and financial gaps in the plan and act to further consolidate its dominance on the continent.

The truth is that Africa’s economy continues to grow (albeit more slowly) and Africans are slowly getting richer. China is aware of this and will tenaciously expand its presence in African markets.

It will be very difficult for the Trump administration to reverse this momentum if its isolationist rhetoric is anything to go by.

Additionally, given Trump’s border tax threats, Africa should expect a more aggressive continuation of China’s entry into African manufacturing.

The Washington Post makes that point: that in terms of low-end manufacturing, what was ‘Made in China’ is now ‘Made in Africa’.

Chinese factories are already moving to Africa and Trump may incentivise the relocation of labour intensive manufacturing from China to Africa where wages are cheaper.

Thus, in trying to protect America, Trump’s policies may push China further into Africa.

Time will tell whether Trump is truly serious about China; and Africa will be at the centre of the action. (NMG)

Anzetse is a development [email protected]