Sino-African Initiative: The Bigger Picture

Trilateral Cooperation between U.S., China, and African countries:

How the Sino-African Initiative fits into the Bigger Picture

Designed to address the manner in which U.S., Chinese, and African cities can collaborate on economic development and urban poverty issues in Africa, the Sino-African Initiative (SAI) combines construction projects with trilateral exchanges, training, and knowledge sharing to create unique projects spanning cities in three continents. With interactions between the U.S., China, and African countries increasing daily in breadth and depth, how does SAI, a subnational program, fit into the national and international context outside of Sister Cities International?

This page serves as a resource hub to provide information on the different sectors that are pertinent to SAI.  Topics covered include: 

• U.S.-Chinese-African relations in economics, development, and politics

• U.S.-African relations in economics, development, and politics

• Sino-African relations in economics, development, and politics

U.S.-Chinese-African Relations

News Updates

• 11/19/2013: “Winners Set to Emerge in Africa Off-Grid Energy Challenge” – IIP Digital: http://iipdigital.usembassy.gov/st/english/article/2013/11/20131118287017.html?CP.rss=true#ixzz2l7fN6k00

• 11/19/2013: “Xi thanks Clinton for role in ties” – China Daily: http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/epaper/2013-11/19/content_17115370.htm

• 10/24/2013: “Africa: Chinese Private Firms in Africa Make Progress On Social Responsibility” – allAfrica: http://allafrica.com/stories/201310251324.html?viewall=1

• 8/27/2013: “China goodies: The hidden risks in turning to the East” – Standard Digital: http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/?articleID=2000091940&story_title=china-goodies-the-hidden-risks-in-turning-to-the-east&pageNo=1

Journal articles/essays:

• “A Trilateral Dialogue on the United States, Africa and China” – The Brookings Institution: http://www.brookings.edu/research/reports/2013/08/us-africa-china-trilateral-dialogue

• “China in Africa: Implications for U.S. Competition and Diplomacy” – The Brookings Institution: http://www.brookings.edu/research/reports/2013/04/china-africa-us-competition-diplomacy-sun

• “Africa-China-U.S. Trilateral Dialogue” – Council on Foreign Relations: http://www.cfr.org/china/africa-china-us-trilateral-dialogue/p14998

•  “China’s Strategic Partnership with Africa: Significance, Challenges, and Implications for the United States” – USC US-China Institute: http://china.usc.edu/ShowArticle.aspx?articleID=2517

• “China and the US Court Africa” – Yale Global Online: http://yaleglobal.yale.edu/content/china-and-us-court-africa

Other Resources

Government policies and initiatives:

• Power Africa – USAID: http://www.usaid.gov/powerafrica

• Trade Africa – White House: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/07/01/fact-sheet-trade-africa

• The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) – “The African Growth and Opportunity Act: An Empirical Analysis of the Possibilities Post-2015” – The Brookings Institution: http://www.brookings.edu/research/reports/2013/07/african-growth-and-opportunity-act

• Doing Business in Africa Campaign (DBIA) – U.S. Department of Commerce: http://www.commerce.gov/news/fact-sheets/2013/07/08/fact-sheet-doing-business-africa-dbia-campaign

• The Third Plenum – “China’s Third Plenum: Implications for Africa” – The Brookings Institution: http://www.brookings.edu/blogs/africa-in-focus/posts/2013/11/18-china-third-plenary-africa-sun

Blogs/websites:

• The official blog of Ambassador David H. Shinn (Adjunct Professor of International Affairs at The George Washington University): http://davidshinn.blogspot.com/

• “China in Africa: The Real Story”: blog by Deborah Brautigam (Professor and Director, International Development Program, Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies): http://www.chinaafricarealstory.com/

• The China Africa Project: http://www.chinaafricaproject.com/

• Sino-Africa in DC newsletter (latest newsletter): http://us7.campaign-archive2.com/?u=fb3fce4d4b859c1ad9f39d082&id=e0e01fb8ea&e=2ac397f4a3

• African Economic Research Consortium: http://www.aercafrica.org/index.php

• The Centre for Chinese Studies (CCS) at Stellenbosch University: http://www.ccs.org.za/

• South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA): http://www.saiia.org.za/

• Forum on China-Africa Cooperation: http://www.focac.org/eng/

• Zhejiang Normal University: Institute of African Studies: http://ias.zjnu.cn/en/

• Institute of Development Studies (IDS), Globalisation Team: http://www.ids.ac.uk/team/globalisation/pageprojects/1

• Oxford University – China Africa Network: http://oucan.politics.ox.ac.uk/

Journal articles/essays:

• “Top Five Reasons Why Africa Should Be a Priority for the United States” – The Brookings Institution: http://www.brookings.edu/research/reports/2013/04/africa-priority-united-states

• “How China is Influencing Africa’s Development” – China Africa Network/Asia Corporate Network, Centre for Business Analysis & Research, Gordon Institute of Business Science, University of Pretoria: http://www1.oecd.org/development/pgd/45068325.pdf