South African foreign policy and China: converging visions, competing interests, contested identities

Alden, Chris and Wu, Yu-Shan (2016) South African foreign policy and China: converging visions, competing interests, contested identities. Commonwealth and Comparative Politics, 54 (2). pp. 203-231. ISSN 1466-2043

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Abstract

South Africa's burgeoning relationship with China exposes the increasing complexities of its post-apartheid international relations. On one hand bilateral relations have deepened since 1998, due to the increasing complementarities with South Africa's foreign policy priorities that emphasise developmental pragmatism and a Southward orientation within the broader African context. On the other hand this relationship emphasises the deeper schisms within South African society itself, where divergent and multi-layered perspectives on South Africa's post-apartheid identity and relationship with China, the country's largest trading partner, remains unresolved. This article maps out the nature of China–South Africa relations through a thematic approach. This allows for nuanced consideration of South Africa's contemporary foreign policy, one that remains compressed between a combination of external and domestic factors.

Item Type:	Article
Official URL:	http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/fccp20
Additional Information:	© 2016 Taylor & Francis
Library of Congress subject classification:	J Political Science > JA Political science (General) J Political Science > JZ International relations
Sets:	Departments > International Relations
Date Deposited:	12 Jul 2016 14:12
URL:	http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/67110/

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