China in Africa: From partner countries to follower countries. Part 1

Abstract

The authors study Sino-African relations from the point of view of the theory of dependent and unequal development. The aim of the article is to analyze the mechanism of formation of a group of African follower countries of China, that positively perceive the Chinese experience of public administration. The authors set out to investigate the question of how China selects partner countries in Africa, how partner countries become follower countries of the People's Republic of China and by what criteria the rating of African countries according to their importance for the Heavenly Empire is built. The article examines the peculiarities of the formation in Africa of a bloc of states following the policy of the countries of the conditional West, primarily of the United States, Great Britain, France, as well as Italy, Spain, etc. It is emphasized that the United States plays a leading military and political role on the African continent, having up to 500 military and mixed-use facilities in this region. The authors analyze such concepts as a partner country and a follower country. Two models of the implementation of these forms of dependent development with regard to African countries have been identified: the European-North American model and its Chinese version. The authors have identified the criteria on the basis of which the PRC selects the follower-countries. The conclusion is made about the gradual increase of the military factor in the priorities of the Chinese foreign policy course in Africa and the transition from a soft power strategy to discursive power.