Review by Choice Review
The thesis of this book is that the spate of relatively recent publications pointing out China's "new interest" in Africa and its resources miss that the People's Republic of China (PRC) has long been interested and involved in Africa. Chau (California State Univ., San Bernardino) argues that for decades, Maoist China often offered verbal ideological cover for what was in practice a long-range, realist strategy designed to maximize its influence in Africa. He documents this by carefully looking at PRC operations in three key African countries, Algeria, Ghana, and Tanzania (including Zanzibar), from 1955 to 1976, using mainly English language press and media accounts from African, Western (including declassified CIA documents), and Chinese sources. Although Chau's seemingly uncritical use of press statements from various governmental sources is initially unsettling, further reading suggests that these sources are valid and do indeed help make his points. The identification of PRC organizations used in Africa is helpful, as are the copious endnotes and the extensive bibliography. Chau suggests that a better understanding of Chinese strategy in the past can aid current dealings with PRC. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduate, graduate, research, and professional collections. --Charles W. Hartwig, Arkansas State University
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
