Current Status of the China-Africa Relations
China is one of the largest nations of the globe, and it ranks the first among the most populated countries. In the recent decades, it has seen a surge in economic power, which instigated the further growth of the nation’s influence and military ambitions. China aims to assert its dominance in the region of Southwestern Asia, but the plans are not limited to this particular area. More specifically, China targets the status of a global superpower that exercises its influence across various part of the Earth. In this context, the African continent presents an area of intense interest for the competing powers of the worlds. Africa remains in the state of economic, social, and military development, while being a strategically convenient point for the armed forces. The Chinese authorities have grown to recognize the potential of this continent, allocating substantial resources to the creation of strong ties with African nations. In fact, Alden and Jang (2019) state that the nature of the cooperation between Africa and China was previously seen as mostly economic. In other words, the partnership paradigm was initially focused on the mutually beneficial trade agreements between the nations.
Nevertheless, the current situation represents a different status of these relations. More specifically, China and Africa have been engaged in a continuous process of forming profound military ties. As suggested by experts, this tendency is enabled by the African states’ willingness to build a stronger defense architecture against today’s most pressing challenges (Alden and Jang 2019). China has been able to respond to this demand by providing the knowledge and expertise. As result, the country has been actively participating in joint military drills with African armies, while making financial contributions to the defense framework of the continent. Evidently, the ultimate objective of the Chinese is to establish a strong military presence in Africa, which presents favorable opportunities. From the African airbases, an array of air-force operations can be effectively executed across most of the globe. As long as China’s efforts respond to the demands of the African militaries, the process remain in an ongoing state, as the links become stronger.
My Level of Leadership
The examination of various leadership levels enables insight into the nature of national security challenges and the effective ways of addressing them. As per the Air Force leadership paradigm, I am currently at the tactical expertise level. It focuses on the core competencies of an Air Force leaders, nurturing the qualities that are required for further levels. At this stage, a considerable emphasis is laid on the personal interaction and followership. The excellence of tactical expertise implies the ability to motivate and organize the immediate subordinates, while articulating the tactical objectives in a clear manner. It is during this phase of the leadership formation that airmen acquire a deeper understanding of themselves as leaders and commanders. Success at this level determines the entire direction of the future development of an Air Force leader.
Tactical Expertise in the Context of the China-Africa Relations
The leadership level of tactical expertise is associated with local operations that are to be executed effectively. In this context, the continuous cooperation between China and Africa poses certain challenges. More specifically, the increasing influence of this nation increases its operational capacity in the area. As a result, individual reckon missions may become more difficult, as China’s surveillance frameworks in Africa become more advanced. Route planning for air surveillance is to be executed with additional diligence in order to avoid the new foreign control zones. This way, the pressure on tactical leaders remains increases in terms of operations in Africa.
Higher Leadership in the Context of the China-Africa Relations
Considering the scale of the matter and Africa’s status as a strategic geopolitical point, the discussed issue becomes even more concerning on higher leadership levels. For the major command of the U.S. Air Forces (MAJCOM), the strengthening of the ties between Africa and Chine is a matter to be addressed quickly and efficiently. In this regard, the primary objective of MAJCOMs will be to organize the overall operational capacity of the Air Force while balancing the aspects of safety and effectiveness. All units are expected to accomplish their objective, which becomes more difficult with Chinese military bases appearing across the continent. MAJCOMs in cooperation with COCOMs are to modify the development strategy of the armed forced in the region in light of the rising military activity of China. Furthermore, the tactical expertise operations will depend entirely on the strategic vision developed and instructed by strategic and operational commanders.
China-Africa Relations as a Threat to National Security
Ultimately, the situation in its current state poses potential risks for the national security of the United States. According to Mlambo et al. (2019), China’s cooperation with African countries has transcended the limits of purely economic relations. The recent years have seen an increase in the Chinese military presence in Africa, even though most missions are on the peacekeeping premises. As new Chinese bases appear on the continent, the U.S. Air Force will see new challenges in terms of preserving peace and stability in the region. Moreover, the growing capacity of the Chinese military in Africa will become a major impediment for the United States’ ability to complete both local and global tasks, as the influence of a near peer threat of China rises.
References
Alden, Chris and Lu Jiang. 2019. “Brave New World: Debt, Industrialization and Security in China–Africa relations.” International Affairs, vol. 95, no. 3, 641-657.
Mlambo, Daniel, Victor H. Mlambo and Mandla A. Mubecua. 2019. “China’s Growing Military Peacekeeping Presence in Africa.” Journal of African Union Studies, vol. 8, no. 1, 135-153.