China's Health Diplomacy towards Africa through the Belt and Road Initiative

Abstract

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) of China has become one of the largest frameworks from a geopolitical and economic perspective of the twenty-first century, including development of infrastructures, economic connectivity, and health connectivity. This paper explores the manner in which China has incorporated health diplomacy into the framework of BRI, with specific emphasis on its involvement with African countries, where poor health infrastructure, health challenges, and health institutions present significant humanitarian considerations as well as strategic considerations, The researchers have adopted qualitative approach using data collected from the systematic analysis of academic journals, policy documents, China Government Official Publications. The findings show that the health diplomacy activities in Africa under the BRI framework involve such elements as hospitals construction, drug chains, training for doctors, disease monitoring, telemedicine facilities, and joint efforts against pandemics, especially evident in China’s vaccine diplomacy in regard to COVID-19. These activities also help realize China’s strategic goals such as control of the African governments and other resources, apart from contributing to improvements in health conditions and closer diplomatic relationship between China and Africa,. This paper makes an important contribution to the existing body of research related to health diplomacy, international cooperation in the Global South, and China-Africa relations in general.