How Does China Help Africa?
The Dragon’s Gift: The Real Story of China in Africa
by Deborah Brautigam
—Reviewed by Angilee Shah
If the headlines are any indication, it’s time for a proper China scare. A sampling from recent news stories on China’s involvement in Africa include: “China throws birthday bash for Zimbabwe’s Mugabe” (Reuters), “Namibia Bans Chinese Investment in Beauty Salon” (Bloomberg), and “China Unicom Denies African Expansion” (Forbes).
But Deborah Brautigam’s exhaustive account of Chinese aid and investment in the continent is by no means part of this trend. China is neither wholeheartedly supporting corrupt dictators, …
