China's Participation In The Horn Of Africa Security Affairs: Theories And Case Studies

China has quickly transformed from a new emerging player forging a foothold in Africa to an established power and influence with substantial investments,assets,and citizens in residence,and it is now an important security player in African security affairs.In recent years,China has increased its participation in UN peacekeeping operations(UNPKOs)in the continent;it played a creative and proactive role in African conflict resolution;it established its first-ever overseas logistics base in Djibouti;it strengthened its cooperation with African organizations and supported their peacekeeping missions with finance and military assistance;it launched with African Union(AU)member countries a China-Africa Peace and Security Initiative(CAPSI),to help African countries build up their own peacekeeping capacity and address the root causes of conflict.Its engagement in African security affairs has moved from being rule-takers(according to the rules of the liberal model)to rule-makers(enhancing the Chinese developmental peace model in conflict resolution and post-conflict societies).This dissertation provides a conceptual framework for understanding;China's national interests that shows the motives behind China's changed involvement in African security affairs from modest and cautious participation to creative and proactive engagement.This framework is a dual relation between China's national interests and its interests abroad,and its national strategy and strategy abroad.Contrary to the popular opinion that Beijing's participation in African security affairs is mainly driven by economic interests and neglects the interests of African countries,the dual relation shows that there is a complementary relation between China's interests in Africa(security interests,economic interests,and political-strategy interests),and African countries' national interests.Beijing's core national interests are linked to development interests,which is the main factor that determines the state's comprehensive national power.Development means economic well-being,which is the main goal for China's policymakers to ensure political and social stability.China's national strategy consists of a diplomatic and development strategy,and diplomacy serves China's development.Africa is part of its national strategy to implement its “ Going Out” Strategy.In addition,the development strategy cannot achieve success without security.Therefore,China's economic interests on the continent are one of its core national interests to ensure sustainable economic development,and maintain social and political stability.Chinese security interests in Africa are also part of the core or vital national interests of China to protect the security of SLOCs,which are not limited to the borders of state sovereignty,but are rather extended and intertwined within a geographical term.Africa's geopolitical location,overlooking the Indian Ocean,the Red Sea,the Suez Canal,and other important strategic points,is a part of China's security interests.Beijing's participation in the continent's security affairs also strengthens its reputation as a responsible power in the international community and protects its overseas interests.Therefore,these interests are closely linked to each other in the form of a complementary relation that one cannot be separated from the other.China's policy toward African security affairs(Creative Mediation,Legitimate Intervention,Developmental Peace,and Non-Interference In Their Internal Affairs)is based on the respect of a state's sovereignty,territorial integrity,the right of states to independently choose its own social system and developmental path,the cooperation which based on mutual benefit,strengthening military cooperation with African countries and regional organizations to enhance the stability in the African Continent.This policy demonstrate that China's participation in African security affairs stems from a complementary relation between protecting its interests on the continent and African states' national interests within the framework of a community of interest and a community of shared future for humankind.The study also provides case studies from the Horn of Africa to analyze China's increasing participation in the continent's security affairs,namely,Sudan(including South Sudan),Djibouti,and Somalia to test China's security governance outlooks,namely creative mediation,providing public security goods and developmental peace.In Sudan,it introduces China's creative mediation,which clarifies developments in the policy of non-interference without violating the fundamental principles of China's foreign policy.In Djibouti,China established its first overseas logistics base,which is linked to the evaluation of the Chinese security concept and military diplomacy to protect its core national interests and those of others.Regarding Somalia,this dissertation analyzes China's cautious and modest participation in Somalia's security dilemma and how the Chinese model can promote economic and security relations between the conflicting parties for developmental peace.Finally,the stability of regional security in the Horn of Africa is linked to the cooperation and strategic dialogue between regional and external powers.Despite competition in the Horn of Africa over economic and commercial relations with regional countries such as Saudi Arabia,Iran,Israel,Turkey,Qatar and the UAE,these new external security actors do not constitute a significant threat to regional security as well as China's interests in the region.The US' new strategy in Africa aiming to undermine Chinese expansion in the region,as well as the Russian,French and Japanese aggrandizing military presence,are potential threats to regional stability and China's interests in the Horn of Africa.