Article: https://allafrica.com/view/group/main/main/id/00081766.html
China is the world’s largest producer of fish and also has the largest long distance fishing fleet in the world. China’s long distance fishing operations off of the coast of Africa make up approximately 80% of its long distance offshore fishing according to the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, however, that is just the official figure, not accounting for any unofficial or illegal activities. Recent reports also found that around 90% of Ghana’s industrial fishing boats were owned by Chinese companies. Due to China’s large-scale fishing operations off the coast of Africa, small-scale and local fishers are being beaten out by China’s official and illegal fishing operations.
This is an important story because it shows an example of how China is using their industrial and economic might to beat out and take over parts of other countries’ economies. Along with their Belt and Road Initiative, showcases how China is trying to gain influence around the world by several means. This includes building infrastructure in countries around the world as well as other means like their efforts to crowd out local fishermen and taking over the economic means of weaker countries. This could be part of a strategy of neo-imperialism in which China makes smaller countries their debts slaves in order to have more influence and control over them.
This article relates to this class because it involves China who is arguably the world’s second superpower who is crowding out the industrial fishing sector of countries. This is mostly focused around several African countries like Ghana, Sierra Leone, The Gambia and Senegal. This is because these countries cannot feasibly compete with the Chinese fishing presence and once their own local fishing industries are beaten out, China will have control of a large part of their economies which will lead to an increase of Chinese influence in the area and African countries becoming more reliant on China.