Chinese Resource Policy and Human Security in Africa: A Discourse

This chapter reveals how the Chinese relations with Africa have been on ascendancy since the turn of the new millennium in 2000. It documents scholars that have identified the phenomenal growth of the Chinese economy through exploration of African resources. The chapter argues that the need for African resources is the driving force for the Asian interest in the continent. It revealed that the resource-backed loan policy of the Chinese government has improved infrastructure in resource-rich African countries, as well as enhanced the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the continent. These have positive impact on the volume of trade, investment and economic growth in the continent. Howbeit, the impact of the resource policy as implemented on human security in the continent has not received adequate attention by stakeholders, and this is the task of the chapter. It adopts exploratory research design and depended on secondary data, which were presented qualitatively and analysed with content analysis technique. The study concludes that Chinese resource policy in Africa reinforces some aspect of human security and threatens others. It recommends the insistence on universal human rights principles as well as the observation of global best practices in labour and environmental management by African countries in negotiating and implementing the resource-backed loan agreements and other engagements with the Chinese in order to preserve human security in the continent.