ABSTRACT
The international development landscape is being shaped by the emerging powers such as the Peolple’s Republic of China and other BRICS nations in their unprecedented engagements with Africa’s economy and society. China, as the world second-largest economy, has received both compliments and criticisms for its approach to development assistance in Africa. China adopts a broad concept of mutual benefit-based economic co-operation rather than one-way acts of aid to ensure the sustainability of the aid projects and to promote the endogenous development in Africa. According to the White Paper for China–Africa Economic and Trade Cooperation (Information Office of the State Council 2010), aid is an intrinsic part of a broad bilateral economic co-operation between China and African countries. A major criticism of China’s investments in African agriculture rests with the land sector. Among other foreign actors, reports illustrate China’s role in fuelling land conflicts, thereby contributing to land grabbing in Africa.
