An exploration of the political, economic and social dimensions of South Africa’s bilateral relations with China

Abstract

Despite its contemporary challenges, China remains a dominant actor in world politics as the second-largest economy in the world after the United States. The country is pivotal in global politics and the world economy, representing developing and emerging economies. African nations like South Africa now look to China for political and economic cooperation and developmental aspirations. China remains Africa’s largest trade partner, with South Africa being its most important ally. In this regard, South Africa’s engagement with China has become one of the most debated aspects of its activism in bilateral relations. As the bilateral relations between the two countries intensify, questions are being asked: 'What has South Africa benefited from its relations with China?' ‘Has the country reaped any political, economic or social benefits from these relations?' Many attempts have been made to provide answers to these questions. Problematically, the majority of these attempts have been based on generalisations drawn from media reports and uninformed public opinions. Therefore, this
article explores the political, economic, and social aspects of South Africa’s bilateral relations with China to provide a
more nuanced picture of this bilateral relationship. In doing this, the paper engages 20 participants with knowledge and
expertise on South Africa-China relations. The information gathered from these engagements was supplemented with
a literature review on the relationship between the two countries.