The ‘state’ of postcolonial development: China–Rwanda ‘dependency’ in perspective

Abstract

This paper aims to investigate the impact of China’s aid, trade and investments on the development trajectories in postcolonial Africa, focussed on Rwanda. The analytical framework of this study is informed by Helen Milner’s observation that ‘International political economy is a growth industry’. Furthermore, the study deploys dependency theory and world systems theory to examine how the global economic configuration operates though the hierarchy of core, semi-periphery and periphery among the states. Our focus on Rwanda is based on our observation that this small, landlocked, natural resources-deficient, aid-dependent country is an atypical destination for Chinese patronage and investments. We argue that as a non-resource rich country, Rwanda presents an anomaly, thus, underlining the gap in the existing knowledge on China–Africa engagements. We discuss the inherent dependency in the neoliberal economic structure and present a case for using dependency theory to understand and explain the contemporary globalised economy and emerging South–South cooperation. We conclude with a call for more in-depth cross-comparative research on China–Africa relations to grasp the magnitude of dependencies and economic transformations within postcolonial African states.

Keywords:

• Rwanda
• dependency theory
• China
• world systems theory
• China–Rwanda relations
• colonialism
• semi-peripheries

Acknowledgements

The feedback of the reviewers was invaluable, and we are grateful to them for their time and effort.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1 At the outset, we wish to underline that in our reference to China, we include the Chinese state, the state-owned enterprises, private business enterprises and other Chinese agencies.

2 The Third World generally comprises countries with shared colonial legacies including the countries of Latin America, Africa and Asia, which have received fewer benefits from their relationships with the core and are easy for the core countries to penetrate through trade, foreign capital, technology transfer, aid and foreign direct investment.

In this paper, the terms ‘Third World’ and ‘underdeveloped/developing/developed countries’ are used as historical concepts, to facilitate the analysis and description, and are not used because of their semantic correctness. Briefly, the Third World comprises the dependent world. The relationships between the core (North) and the periphery (South), however, created gaps not only between South and North, but also between South and South.

3 We cite the trade figures from two different sources; their real numbers may not match due to their methodological differences.

4 The largest trade partner of Africa is EU-27, the group of 27 countries of the European Union excluding the United Kingdom.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Alpha Furbell Lisimba

Alpha Lisimba completed his PhD at Monash University in 2016, specializing in the International Political Economy of Resources-based development. He is an Independent Researcher based in Melbourne, Australia, and his research focuses on International Law and Human Rights, Chinese investments in Africa, and African Politics.

Swati Parashar

Swati Parashar is an Associate Professor in Peace and Development at the School of Global Studies, Gothenburg University. Her research focuses on postcolonial and feminist perspectives on issues of violence, development and peace.