As I'm preparing to review for the AP exam, I'm looking for contemporary material about globalization that my students can connect to our previous studies. The Brautigam article, "Chinese Geese in Africa" about China's current role in Africa, connects to previous eras of Sino-African engagement. And, specifically in Tanzania and Ethiopia, I've been interested to think about China's connections to East Africa. In considering continuities, China and East Africa were on opposing ends of the Indian Ocean Trade Networks. At the turn of the 15th century, the explorer, Zeng He sailed there via India and the Arabian Peninsula to project China's power and establish diplomatic and economic ties during the early Ming Dynasty. While the Ming closed off their sailing expeditions and international diplomacy outside of its borders, and Africa and Asia later fell to European imperialism, Chinese laborers did continue to migrate internationally, although not in the service of the Chinese state. To see the 20th century Chinese government be active in Maoist revolutions in Africa, and now establish various "Chinese geese" which Brautigam defines as Chinese corporate and state entities with various motivations including those searching for raw materials, those seeking to establish a foothold in the global supply chain, those looking to take advantage of African markets, as well as other more small scale ventures, the Chinese economic and political footprint in Africa are more established than they have ever been. Likewise, articles and video here on Chinese food and agriculture imports from Africa underscores the evolving policy and focus of China from providing its own agricultural self sufficiency in the mid 20th century to becoming reliant and exerting pressure on foreign nations to supplement and complement their own agricultural production and feed a wealthier population with more cosmopolitan tastes. Now, as African states become a necessary trading partner for China, it's interesting to compare this relationship with the interdependent commercial nature of the Indian Ocean Trade Networks from over half a millenium ago. And, it is interesting to evaluate whether China's expansion into the African market reflects continuities of European imperialism but now with a Chinese flavor.
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