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The current global scene is characterized by the lack of a dominant world power and the existence of multiple players on the international scene looking to impact international politics. This reality is further confirmed with the gradual loss of the United States (US) influence after the great hegemonic moment that the states had in the 1990s and early 2000s with the collapse of the Soviet Union. This is why, for instance, the former US president Barak Obama adopted the “leading from behind approach” in order to prevent further costs associated with the US foreign policy. Such doctrine was applied during the Arab spring where the states played the role of observer rather than directly intervening in the events leaving either to its allies (France and United Kingdom) or traditional opponents (Russia) to assume the responsibility in places like Syria and Libya. In the economic sphere, and in order to gain further advantages in the international arena, emerging countries started adopting different strategies that aim at increasing global economic influence. In this context, the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) has adopted a strategy focused on building alliances with developing countries with the hope of gaining their support to be able to influence international politics. To do so, the state used its economic power for providing incentives to developing countries in order to be granted the possibility of making investments in these countries that are in need of international development assistance. To do so, Beijing adopted the strategy of offering to developing countries the possibility of building the necessary infrastructures that are lacking in their respective territories in exchange for the existing natural resources in these countries. As such, slowly but gradually, the Chinese state would not only acquire all the necessary infrastructure but also provide a great opportunity for Chinese companies to dominate the domestic markets of the developing countries. In the chapter Chinese Investment in Africa: Strengthening the Balance Sheet, the authors Mark Klaver and Michael Trebilcock examined the strategic economic interests of the Chinese state in the African continent. Through the existing Chinese companies in Africa making huge investments in multiple sectors, the state aims at gaining strategic market access as well as natural resources while strengthening its diplomatic position in the international sphere as the African states where the Chinese investments are taking place are going to support the Chinese international position no matter what due to the high level of dependency on Chinese Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs). It is worth mentioning in this context that the biggest Chinese investments are being made in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Furthermore, the Chinese FDI flow as well as the number of Chinese companies in Africa are growing at an impressive speed. Not only that, but also China is also Africa’s largest trading partner. All these factors highlight the huge economic presence that the Chinese state has in the African continent in comparison to Western countries and the huge strategic interests that Beijing is trying to achieve by dominating an entire continent economically speaking.
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