Stephen Marks

For some time now the press in the global ‘North’ has enjoyed itself making its readers’ blood freeze with scare stories about the impending takeover of poor defenceless Africa by the Chinese ‘Yellow Peril’.

The French president first launched his plan in his 2007 election victory speech, proposing a union limited to countries bordering the sea, and invoking grand ambitions "to end all hatreds, to make way for a great dream of peace and a great dream of civilisation."

So what does the new law provide?

The Transitional Federal Government created for Somalia by the Mbgathi peace process still exists and ‘enjoys’ international recognition and legitimacy, but has proved unable to establish its authority inside the country.

China’s increased presence in Africa is part of a wider effort to ‘create a paradigm of globalisation that favours China’ [1].