TY - JOUR
T1 - Burkina Faso
T2 - Between Taiwan's active public diplomacy and China's business attractiveness
AU - Cabestan, Jean-Pierre
N1 - Funding information:
This research was funded by the Research Grant Council of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (GRF no. HKBU 12400314).
Publisher copyright:
© 2017 The South African Institute of International Affairs
PY - 2016/10/1
Y1 - 2016/10/1
N2 - Burkina Faso and Taiwan restored official relations in 1994, after which Taipei's aid has been generous. Taiwan's approach to official development assistance has remained largely traditional, closely linking its public diplomacy to its foreign policy objectives. Trade between both countries has remained very modest. In the same period, because of mainland China's rise and active strategy of ‘going out’, Burkina Faso has developed a robust trade and business relationship with China. As a result, the pull to establish official ties with China (and thus end ties with Taiwan) has become a domestic political issue. After the ousting of President Blaise Compaoré in 2014, a failed coup and then the return to democracy as seen in the November 2015 elections, this debate has become more public. While Burkina Faso has remained faithful to Taiwan and continues to publicly appreciate its assistance, there is no certainty that the political values that both Burkina Faso and Taiwan share will prevent a Burkinabe move towards China.
AB - Burkina Faso and Taiwan restored official relations in 1994, after which Taipei's aid has been generous. Taiwan's approach to official development assistance has remained largely traditional, closely linking its public diplomacy to its foreign policy objectives. Trade between both countries has remained very modest. In the same period, because of mainland China's rise and active strategy of ‘going out’, Burkina Faso has developed a robust trade and business relationship with China. As a result, the pull to establish official ties with China (and thus end ties with Taiwan) has become a domestic political issue. After the ousting of President Blaise Compaoré in 2014, a failed coup and then the return to democracy as seen in the November 2015 elections, this debate has become more public. While Burkina Faso has remained faithful to Taiwan and continues to publicly appreciate its assistance, there is no certainty that the political values that both Burkina Faso and Taiwan share will prevent a Burkinabe move towards China.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85010672882&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/10220461.2016.1271746
DO - 10.1080/10220461.2016.1271746
M3 - Journal article
AN - SCOPUS:85010672882
SN - 1022-0461
VL - 23
SP - 495
EP - 519
JO - South African Journal of International Affairs
JF - South African Journal of International Affairs
IS - 4
ER -
