Lapolitiquecongolaisedela Chinesous Felix Tshisekedi (original) (raw)

Scholars constantly disagree about the role of individual political leaders in foreign policy decision-making of small states towards great powers. Recent studies, further, contend that personalized foreign policy lead to discontinuity; even though, reasons behind such deterministic view are diverse and might be found on specific analysis. This article, however, look at Congo's China policy to elucidate the underpinning reasons which causes today's perceived discontinuity. It does by offering a comparative study of Kabila and Tshisekedi's policy towards China. Early findings suggest that, while the post Kabila Congo still has China as first economic partner its China policy underwent serious changes. The underlying reasons, we contend, are neither the intention to correct past errors nor Chinese unequal contracts explain this variation. This article argues, further, that the Congo's legitimate dependency towards the US is an important explaining variable. This variable is a matter of combining structural and domestic factors. In this case, the US-China strategic competition and the Congo's desperate need for peace has dictated the discontinuity character of Congo's foreign policy-decision making towards China.