Chinese President Hu Jintao is near the end of an eight-nation tour of Africa, which has renewed anxieties associated with "China's rise." Yes, the trip is proof of Beijing's expanding interests and its global reach. And yes, China's readiness to ignore misbehavior by its African friends and trade partners undermines global norms. But the criticism is proof that China's behavior is coming under increasing scrutiny as well.
The attention China pays to Africa reflects several core national interests. The first is economic: China is increasingly reliant on the continent for raw materials. Africa supplies one-third of China's oil: Angola is China's No. 1 source, and China imports substantial supplies from Sudan and Nigeria too. Beijing gets bauxite from Guinea, copper from Zambia, uranium from Namibia and rare metals from Congo.
The economic relationship goes both ways: China is investing heavily in Africa and sending products to Africa. The result has been a quadrupling of trade since 2002; last year, China-Africa trade hit $55.6 billion and is expected to reach $110 billion by 2010.