China’s Emerging Security Diplomacy in Africa

This book presents a comprehensive analysis of China’s evolving security engagement in Africa, a dimension often overshadowed by earlier studies focusing on economic and political aspects. As China’s global ambitions expand, its involvement in African security—across bilateral, regional, and multilateral levels has intensified, challenging its longstanding principle of non-interference. The book explores why China is shifting from a policy of non-interference to one of ‘non-indifference’ and details the actions supporting this change. Employing neoclassical realist theory, it examines systemic factors, domestic influences, and the role of President Xi Jinping in shaping China’s security strategy. By adopting a three-dimensional approach to Sino-Africa relations and categorizing the reasons for China’s policy shift into strategic culture, superpower ambitions, operational motives, and reputational concerns, the book offers fresh insights into China’s security diplomacy. It contributes to the broader discourse on China’s changing stance and its implications for international relations, highlighting the need for attention in both academic and policy circles.