Geostrategic Problems in China, Africa, and Russian Essay

The government of China faces a serious economic problem of natural resource scarcity and this state of affairs forces the country to shift her interest on Africa. By so doing, the former intends to import the natural raw materials from Africa to leverage the underutilized markets, create employment, and gain global experience (Cheru & Obi, 2010). Therefore, Beijing's geopolitical strategy aims at increasing investments in Africa to transform the country's global image and impact to facilitate effective countering of problematic international norms to stabilize economic partners (Feng, 2015).

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Similarly, Africa is experiencing a grave insecurity concern although it is a strategic economic hub for powerful nations including Russia and the US. China's government and Africa, the predominantly third world continent, have partnered to provide topnotch security levels in the latter to safeguard the former's economic and development interests as well as political influences (Thrall, 2015). This is because the African security mismanagement could threaten China's domestic legitimacy and foreign noninterference; thus, Beijing needs aims to limit reactions to crises. As a result, China will be able to protect her already larger population and assets regardless of her internal instability, popular backlash, terrorism, and abduction (Cheru & Obi, 2010). The geopolitical strategies of both the US and China are directed towards ensuring that the African markets are stable to allow them to reap maximum economic benefits, deepen their relations, and maintain their global leadership statuses (Brutsch & Papa, 2013).

Chinese interests on Africa are primarily focused on economic development rather than national security because the latter is only intended to safeguard the capital investments. However, the economic partnerships vary because China considers specific African continents with greater natural resource endowment to give them monopoly power over African markets (Thrall, 2015). Again, Africa has enormous resources although she lacks the technology and know-how on how to exploit them. Therefore, China has become a major source of financial capital to help Africa improve her economic status towards achieving the "Go Global" Strategy. China takes advantage of the status quo in Africa and exports her firearms and other goods based on profit-driven initiatives that prioritize direct foreign investments to solve internal problems (Cheru & Obi, 2010).

On the other hand, Russia is currently experiencing both economic and social crises associated with her efforts to improve internal developments. The country encountered massive economic and labor protests following the drop in oil prices in 2014 (Volman, 2009). It is the social and economic bottlenecks that force Putin to consolidate power in relation to both security and political considerations. Conversely, the country experiences a severe financial crisis that curtails her capacity to solve the problems prior to the planned 2018 general elections. Russia cannot suppress and control the economic turmoil and increased insecurity (Volman, 2009).

The economic challenges facing Russia compels her to form strategic partnerships with China and other countries to give her an economic advantage in the complex bilateral market. Ideally, the two economies majorly target economic, political, and strategic partnership on an international basis in accordance with their constructive partnership pledge (Feng, 2015). However, the domestic struggles impede Russia's efforts to improve her diplomatic relations with China. Further, their agreements seem not to bring any mutual benefit owing to diplomatic and rhetorical proposals that do not solve the already disarrayed Russian domestic economy.

Additionally, Russia has faced geographic weaknesses because she strives to maintain her western buffer zone to curtail any possible attack from the European peninsula. She aims at developing her strategic depth to prevent further risks like the ones experienced when France and Germany attacked her. Unfortunately, Russia is unable to maintain the deep buffer that can fully protect her because of declining resources within the Soviet Union. The previous fall in oil prices and constrained demand marked an inherently inefficient economy even though the intentions and capabilities of her major European rivals increasingly pursue strategic depths. Unfortunately, Russia is unable to shape outcomes but instead, she will only escalate conflicts in an attempt to keep the US influence at bay.

Africa's geopolitical issues are quite different from those of China and Russia due to over-dominance by the developed and increasingly emerging world powers. Therefore, the continent experiences enormous challenges like increased international refugees arising from conflicts in various parts of the world (Repnikova & Balzer, 2009). The conflicts and civil wars are responsible for the massacre of many Africans and destruction of their properties, especially in Libya. As a result, the continent experiences food crisis majorly in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia due to higher food prices and internal conflicts that only exacerbate the condition. Generally, the African geopolitics is responsible for the lack of food, clean water, and basic sanitation that claim many lives annually, especially among the pastoral communities.

Further, Africa always encountered a serious unrest in her northern parts due to world financial constraints, inflation, increased unemployment rates, and increased costs of living (Repnikova & Balzer, 2009). Therefore, in addition to rampant corruption and authoritarian regimes, the continent experiences a wave of internal anger. A critical analysis of Africa's geopolitical challenges reveals that global warming greatly contributes to the problems. The monsoon winds and have taken erratic directions couples with the shrinking sheets of ice at the poles; thus, leaving Africa with below minimum rain-fed agriculture that cannot sustain her population. Therefore, the climatically-induced problems have been the leading causes of civil wars and terrorism, partly due to the struggle for the limited resources by the rapidly growing population. Finally, the dramatic population upsurge in Africa has led to inexorable repercussions even though it is still estimated that the current number will double in 2015.

From the foregoing, Russia undergoes the most extreme hardships as she attempts to solve her geostrategic problems in the current dynamic and complex world. This is because of the economic weakness associated with increased oil production with constrained demand. She has, over the years, relied on oil exports though she cannot determine the prices of oil because of the influence of the superpower. This implies that there is a constant struggle with the US, which means that even if she develops a stronger military, the prices of her energy and related export products will still plunge (Volman, 2009). Therefore, Russia took a mitigation action of reducing the military budget rather than increasing it.

Russia might find it hard if the US becomes interested in Belarus either through the use of nongovernmental organizations or legal policy declarations. Her economy is already wrecked and a direct effect on the country by the US can thwart her capabilities and she will be unable to defend her interests. This concept implies that Russia cannot pursue her self-interests by following her own terms. Therefore, despite the fact that she is solving her geopolitical problems, she is playing a weak hand. This is because she lacks the necessary resources to make her achieve set goals although she strives to complicate US designs based on a narrow definition of her goals and strategies.

References

Thrall, L. (2015). China's expanding African relations: Implications for U.S. National Security. Santa Monica: RAND Corporation.

Feng, H. (2015). The New geostrategic game: Will China and Russia form an alliance against the United States? Copenhagen: Danish Institute for International Studies.

Volman, D. (2009). China, India, Russia and The United States: The scramble for African oil and the militarization of the continent

Brutsch, C. & Papa, M. (2013). Deconstructing the BRICS: Bargaining coalition, imagined community, or geopolitical fad? The Chinese Journal of International Politics, 6(1), 299-327, DOI: 10.1093/cjip/pot009

Cheru, F. & Obi, C. (2010). The rise of China and India in Africa: Challenges, opportunities and critical interventions. London: Zed Books

Repnikova, M. & Balzer, H. (2009). Chinese migration to Russia: Missed opportunities. Washington, DC: Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars