Leiden University Student Repository

Kort, Loes de (2020)

China’s Resources-for-Infrastructure Deals: The Sicomines Case and Neocolonialism

Bachelor thesis | International Studies (BA)

As a result of intensifying China-Africa relations, China has signed multiple resources-for-infrastructure deals with African nations. These deals consist of loans for infrastructure development which are to be repaid with profits gained from oil or mineral extraction. They are heavily criticized, and China’s role is often scrutinized for being neocolonial. This study focuses on the largest and most well-known resources-for-infrastructure deal, the Sicomines agreement, which was signed between China and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Through in-depth examination of the Sicomines case and a study of Kwame Nkrumah’s conceptualization of neocolonialism, this research has found that although a number of aspects of the Sicomines deal are not beneficial to the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Sicomines agreement cannot fully be considered neocolonialist.

Sicomines agreement

Neocolonialism

Resources-for-infrastructure deals

Kwame Nkrumah

China-Democratic Republic of Congo relations

Author

Kort, Loes de

Faculty

Faculty of Humanities

Specialisation

East Asia

Supervisors

Links, Stacey

ECTS Credits

15

Language

en