(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2016-04) Igbinoba, Emmanuel; Centre for Chinese Studies. Policy Briefing
Three decades of average double digit growth has helped propel China into the world’s second
largest economy with global economies increasingly reliant on China to drive economic growth.
As China transits from an investment-based economy to a consumer-based economy, its demand
for raw materials is declining, affecting commodity prices, impacting on commodity
sellers and exerting pressure on currencies around the world. With China’s position as Africa’s
biggest trading partner, fears persist that the economic slowdown in China is being widely felt
in Africa due to the huge trade volume between China and Africa, thus exposing African economies
to spillages from the Chinese economy. This policy brief examines the current state of the
Chinese economy and its impact on African economic growth and recommends a blend of policy
measures aimed at curtailing the impact of the Chinese slowdown on Africa's economy.