The Future of Bilateral Investment Treaties between China and Africa

Abstract

At present the negotiation of and research into Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITs) in China focus on the China-US BIT and the China-EU BIT. However, more recently the investment status of African countries in relation to the world’s major economies has gained renewed importance. Concluding new BITs with African countries seems to have become a race amongst the world’s larger economies: Canada-Africa BITs have flourished over the past three years; the US has nine effective BITs with African countries. Besides these BITs the US has more International Investment Agreements (IIAs), that is, Trade and Investment Framework Agreements (TIFAs) with African countries and regions than any other major economic power. The TIFAs laid the foundations for future negotiations on promoting and protecting US-Africa investment. Remarkably, the US has resumed exploratory BIT discussions with a number of African countries, for example, Ghana, and at present the US is negotiating a high-standard BIT with Mauritius.