China and the African oil sector: channels of engagement, motives, actors and impacts

China’s rapid economic growth and urbanisation puts pressure on the country’s scarce domestic natural resources, which are essential for powering the ever-growing economy. Consequently, China is increasingly engaging with low income countries to ensure access to overseas natural resources, particularly energy resources. In search of affordable oil resources, China has turned to Africa. This paper aims to assess the channels of engagement, motives, actors, beneficiaries and the direct and indirect impacts of China’s engagement in the oil sector in Africa. In recent years, about 30 to 40 per cent of Chinese crude oil imports have been drawn from African oil-producing countries such as Sudan, Angola and Nigeria. The paper uses the 'rising powers framework' for assessing these issues and to elaborate the links to trade, investments and aid.