The China Analyst

At the Highest Level

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Category: The China Analyst Sep 2011

Reflecting on the momentous events happening in the world right now and in the last few turbulent years, it is clear that the world is changing significantly. China is a big part of this change; in fact, its emergence has become instrumental to a new era that is affecting every region of the world, yet none more so than the developing world. China is bringing unprecedented change to Latin America and Africa, and a changing business landscape brings new opportunities.

In the last edition of The China Analyst, we looked at the changing business landscape within China, focusing on certain key industries and outlining the opportunities that can still be found for foreign companies. In this edition, we shift our focus to China's impact on the wider world, and especially on the regions where China's presence and influence have been strongest, namely the developing world.

Africa and Latin America have experienced the most significant impact of China's newfound engagement with the developing world, an impact which the cover of this magazine has boldly dubbed 'a new era'. China's expanding reach is having a profound impact on Africa. Here, China's brand of state-led capitalism is serving to breach a heritage of risk aversion by foreign investors, and in doing so, contribute to economic growth in many parts of the continent. As our first lead feature illustrates, by means of an essential exchange of resources for infrastructure, China is playing a crucial role in a new construction boom on the continent.

With a rapidly growing trade and investment relationship in recent years, China's business with Latin America has to a large extent been characterised by an exchange of resources for manufactured goods. Yet as our second lead feature envisions, the relationship is now set to enter a new phase of higher value added investment and trade, with wide implications for Latin America.

China is not the only new player in these developing regions, however. In our fourth lead feature we outline the trade and investment activities in Africa of the other BRICS nations, revealing how the likes of India and Brazil are in their own ways contributing to the shaping of Africa's new business landscape.

With the business that these emerging nations, and especially China, are doing in the developing world, the landscape in regions such as Africa and Latin America is changing, and opportunities for businesses are doing likewise. This edition of The China Analyst is also about these changes and opportunities, and about how China's business in the developing world is indeed building a new era.
Of course this edition also features all the usual sections on China's trade and investment, procurement, and regional business. And I am also pleased to announce the launching of a new website dedicated to The China Analyst, at www.thebeijingaxis.com/tca, where the contents of this and previous editions can be found in an interactive online format.

I trust our readers will enjoy this edition of The China Analyst, and as always we welcome your feedback.

Kobus van der Wath
Founder & Group Managing Director, The Beijing Axis
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