|
Preference over outcomes: Explaining US-Sino oil diplomacy
in Sub-Saharan Africa
Fanie Herman* and Tsai Ming-Yen
National ChungHsin University, Graduate Institute of
International Politics, 250 Guo Kuang Street, Taichung City,
Taiwan, ROC.
*Corresponding author. E-mail:
tokkief@yahoo.com.
Accepted 23 May, 2011 |
|
The start
of the twenty first century signaled a new beginning for the
United States and China in their quest for oil diplomacy
with African oil producing countries. One of the
characteristics of this venture is the difference in
approach both countries follow to attain this natural
resource. This research work, therefore, examines the
diplomatic measures of the US and China in their
negotiations with oil producing countries in Sub-Saharan
Africa, hereafter referred to as (SSA). In particular, the
results they expect or the preferences over outcomes are
analyzed. It is not the intention of the study to present a
comparative analysis of US and Chinese import figures or to
look at their reciprocal relationship. The question is what
strategic choices do the US and China make in their
interaction with oil producing countries and in what way
does such interaction shape oil diplomacy? An important
finding is that the US and China develop different strategic
paths and policy frameworks which strengthen the assumption
that the two countries compete for SSA oil. Along these
lines, the study investigates the oil diplomacy of the US
and China in SSA using the strategic-choice approach as an
analytical framework.
Key words:
Oil diplomacy, US-Sino oil security, sub Saharan Africa,
strategic-choice, competition and cooperation. |
