Journal of Political Sciences & Public Affairs
Open Access

Abstract

The Future is Uncertain for the Mono Party China-pluralized Africa Economic Relations: A Critical Analysis of Chinese Economic Strategies in Zambia and Tanzania

Basebya KA

With pluralized democracies in Africa and the authoritarian mono-party China’s propensity of aligning, making friendships and bilateral agreements with ruling political parties, elites and government regardless public contentment and engagement, the likeliness of rebellions and diverting resentments on Chinese investments is high. This article answer the question on how the authoritarian China where the Communist Party and government affairs are largely inseparable manages to push and secure investments in pluralized and frail democracies in both Tanzania and Zambia while keeping ties with ruling political parties at the same time disengage with other civil voices and undermines corporate citizenship.

The article analyzes China’s adaption to win and secure investments and the misplays evolve such as Confucianism crushes with pluralism democracies, party to party outreach whilst sidelines other political actors, maltreatment of media/PR/CSRs, profit maximization at the expense of humanity and Beijing loosening control and monitoring of overseas Chinese enterprises that have distorted China’s image and turn into battle field for pluralized and populism politics. Based on interviews from 26 respondents who were purposively and snow balling sampled and 73 extensive secondary resources, the article concludes that there is uncertain to the future of the authoritarian mono-party China’s economic presence in pluralized Africa and suggests the need for laying new foundations and approaches to advance Chinese political-economic relations with Zambia, Tanzania and Africa in general.