Conclusion China and the EU in Africa: Partners or Competitors

This conclusion presents some closing thoughts discussed in the preceding chapters of this book. The book draws on China's bilateral relations with Africa run much deeper than commercial exchanges, the Chinese government and Chinese businesses have cemented their rising status by engaging in a wide range of areas with African partners and by taking great risks. It considers the pay homage to the EU's strive for multilateralism by providing concrete examples where the EU has sought to involve China in the fight against piracy or small arms and light weapons, to which the Chinese government has responded with timid yet progressive intent. The book illustrates, areas for complementarity and coordination are aplenty whether it be in terms of helping to construct Africa's vital infrastructural needs or in terms of establishing concrete three-way political cooperation as a means of seriously boosting Africa's development process.