China’s Political Economy in Africa in the Context of Global Politics: Examples of Nigeria, Angola, Sudan and Democratic Republic of Congo

Due to the increasing population and economic prosperity worldwide, reliance on energy resources has reached fairly high levels. In 2040, the energy demand is projected to increase by 37%. However, the energy sources discovered in the world face the risk of not being able to meet the increasing demand. China, which has a giant population of 1.3 billion, and the world’s fastest growing economy with 13.457 trillion $ of GNP, has been the most affected country in this situation. Within this context, China has made various attempts to maintain its economic growth and to ensure the continuity and security of the energy trade. China invests in alternative energy sources and carries out close economic relations with the African continent, which has many undiscovered reserves in terms of natural resources. Over the past two decades, China has provided large amounts of direct investment, technical assistance, grants, zero-interest loans, and concessional loans to Africa. Although the Chinese investments make a great contribution to the economic growth of African countries, due to the privileges that China gain in return, the economies of these countries are becoming dependent on China. This study aims to explain the change in the economic relations between China and Africa and the level reached today and contribute to a better understanding of the political economy in Africa through China’s trade relations with Nigeria, Angola, Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo