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 FOCAC: Creating a Platform for Africa’s Sustainable Development
Centre for Chinese Studies, Stellenbosch UniversityCape Town, South Africa26-27 August 2!"
The Evolving China-Africa Securit !elationship
#avid $% Shinn&lliott School of 'nternational Affairs(eorge )ashington University
"ntro#uction
 Since the !*6s and early !*7s when China was a +odest provider of +ilitary assistanceand training for African liberation and revolutionary groups, its security role has evolved significantly% China has beco+e an increasingly i+portant supplier of conventional and light weapons to African govern+ents and stepped up its echange +ilitary visits% There has also  been a focus on supporting United ations peace.eeping operations in Africa, co+batting piracy in the (ulf of Aden, and eploring ways to protect China/s growing physical presence and interests in Africa% As China develops its strategy as a regional +ilitary power and eventually a global naval  presence, it is i+portant to put Africa in China/s global strategic perspective% Co+pared to the countries on China/s periphery, near neighbors and especially those with substantial energy resources, &urope, and orth A+erica, Africa is a low security priority% At the sa+e ti+e, China has given +ore thought to security-related issues than have the African countries%The challenge for Africa/s " +e+bers of the 0oru+ on China-Africa Cooperation 10CAC3 is to agree on how to obtain +ai+u+ benefit fro+ China/s security goals in and around Africa% This will re4uire an etraordinary effort by the African Union, sub-regional organi5ations, and the leaders of .ey African states% As African leaders and organi5ations grapple with the issue of Chinese security interests, +ost of the+ will also want to avoid alienating )estern countries, several of which already have +aor security interests in and cooperation with African states% 'n addition, African countries will need to balance China/s security role with the interests of .ey e+erging nations such as 'ndia, ra5il, Tur.ey, and the (ulf States%
The Current China-Africa Securit Structure
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8resident $u 9intao launched the 'nitiative on China-Africa Cooperative 8artnership for 8eace and Security at the 2!2 0CAC +inisterial +eeting in eiing% The stated purpose was to deepen cooperation with the African Union and African countries for +aintaining peace and security, to provide financial support for African Union peace.eeping +issions, to develop the African Standby 0orce, and to train +ore security personnel and peace.eepers for the African Union% The 0CAC 0ifth :inisterial Action 8lan 12!;-2!"3 added that China will support African countries/ efforts to co+bat illegal trade and circulation of s+all ar+s and light weapons%China agreed to contribute within its +eans to Africa/s conflict prevention, +anage+ent, resolution, and post-conflict reconstruction% 't pledged to continue support for U peace.eeping+issions and i+plied it stood ready to +ediate African conflicts% China agreed to strengthen cooperation with So+alia, the African Union, and relevant African sub-regional organi5ations in co+batting piracy in the (ulf of Aden and waters off So+alia% 0inally, China said it was  prepared to increase cooperation in fighting all for+s of terroris+%'n re+ar.s at the U in 2!;, China/s #eputy 8er+anent <epresentative, )ang :in, called on the international co++unity to pro+ote peace and stability in Africa, strengthen collaboration with the African Union and sub-regional organi5ations, and ta.e concrete +easuresto help Africa reinforce its collective security +echanis+% $e added that China is actively  pursuing the 'nitiative on China-Africa Cooperative 8artnership for 8eace and Security by  providing personnel to U peace.eeping +issions and +ilitary aid to the African Union% 'n 2!=, 8re+ier >i ?e4iang reaffir+ed China/s support for the 'nitiative and pro+ised to enhance collaboration with Africa on peace and security issues%The ninth and +ost recent of China/s +ilitary white papers appeared in :ay 2!"% )hile+a.ing few references to Africa, the paper co++ented that China/s national security is +ore vulnerable to international regional tur+oil, terroris+, piracy, serious natural disasters and epide+ics, and the security of overseas interests concerning energy and resources, strategic sea lines of co++unication, as well as institutions, personnel and assets abroad% China/s interests in Africa are relevant to all of these concerns and the paper underscored the need to safeguard the security of China/s overseas interests% The paper e+phasi5ed the role of the 8>A avy 18>A3, which will gradually shift its focus fro+ @offshore waters defense to a co+bination of @offshore waters defense with @open seas protection, and build a co+bined, +ulti-functional and efficient +arine co+bat force structure for that purpose% 't added that great i+portance +ust be attached to +anaging the seas and oceans and protecting +ariti+e rights and interests% The paper said that China will develop a+odern +ariti+e +ilitary force structure co++ensurate with its national security and develop+ent interests, safeguard its national sovereignty and +ariti+e rights and interests,  protect the security of strategic sea lines of co++unication and overseas interests, and participatein international +ariti+e cooperation, so as to provide strategic support for building itself into a 2
 
+ariti+e power% )hile China did not spell out what @open seas protection +eans in practice, it is a +aor strategic shift towards a +ore assertive +ariti+e strategy%The paper also noted that the ar+ed forces will continue to conduct +ilitary operations other than war such as e+ergency rescue and disaster relief, counterterroris+ and stability +aintenance, rights and interests protection, guard duty, international peace.eeping, and international hu+anitarian assistance and disaster relief% 'n this regard, China pledged to continue escort +issions in the (ulf of Aden and other seas as re4uired, enhance echanges and cooperation with naval tas. forces of other countries, and ointly secure international sea lines of co++unication%
Support for $% Peace&eeping an# Combating Pirac
ver the last !" years, China has contributed personnel to U peace.eeping operations inAfrica% As of ; 9une 2!", it had 2,=6B troops, !7= police, and 2! eperts assigned to seven of the U/s nine peace.eeping operations in Africa% This constituted +ore than any other  per+anent +e+ber of the U Security Council but was notably less than the nu+ber fro+ 'ndia,angladesh, 8a.istan, or &thiopia%China has traditionally assigned non-co+bat engineers, +edical, and logistical personnel to U peace.eeping operations% This began to change with the assign+ent of co+bat guard forces to the operation in :ali% 'n 2!", China deployed a 7 person co+bat infantry battalion to the U +ission in South Sudan, where China has significant interests in the oil sector% This was its first ever deploy+ent of a co+bat infantry battalion to a U peace.eeping operation% The U, African countries, and even the United States have welco+ed Chinese participation in these peace.eeping operations% >ate in 2B, China began sending 8>A vessels to the (ulf of Aden to oin an international force dedicated to deterring So+ali piracy% Usually consisting of two frigates and a supply ship, these vessels are continuing their engage+ent and rotate every four +onths% The Chinese ships operate independently of )estern naval tas. forces, but have been widely praised for their professionalis+ and cooperation% The decision to oin this operation +ar.ed a +aor turning point in China/s response to security threats beyond its borders% 't has resulted in a significant increase in 8>A visits to African port cities and begun a discussion within China over the need for +ore for+al arrange+ents with other countries to support its naval vessels%
China Pursues "ts %ational Securit "nterests in Africa
China, li.e any other nation, pursues its own national interests in Africa and elsewhere% 8resident i 9inping stated in a 2!= speech that @)e should protect China/s overseas interests and continue to i+prove our capacity to provide such protection% China/s security interests often align with those of African countries% African leaders see., for ea+ple, political stability, which is in China/s interest for econo+ic reasons%;

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