Recent research by the Centre’s East Asia Node together with
Forest Trends, an NGO, suggests that most import of timber to China from
Africa is done by a relatively small number of geographically clustered
firms. This may provide opportunities to engage the major importing
firms in developing and implementing responsible sourcing practices, say
Andreas Wilkes and Huang Wenbin
China’s thirst for natural resources to fuel its economic development
has gained the attention of governments, media and civil society
worldwide. China’s imports from Africa have received particular
attention. Timber is no exception, especially as it is China’s
third-largest commodity import from Africa after oil and minerals and
the share of total African timber exports going to China has risen over
the last decade.
The majority of African log imports by China come from central
African countries—Gabon, Republic of Congo, Cameroon and
Mozambique—although eastern African countries also export smaller
volumes to China. Until recently, it is likely that much of this timber
was processed in China, from where it would be exported to the EU or the
US as furniture or other types of wood products. But since the
financial crisis in the West, China’s own domestic market has become
more significant.
China’s emerging role in Africa’s forestry sector has raised a range of
concerns, some of which are better substantiated than others. Reports by
some NGOs and academics suggest that China’s activities in Africa’s
forest regions have had adverse impacts on African forest environments,
created poor labour conditions, and drive illegal timber trade and
corruption, undermining forest governance in African countries. China’s
clear preference for unprocessed logs has been said to limit African
countries’ abilities to create employment and develop value-adding
capabilities. And with increasing numbers of state-owned and private
firms involved in the Africa–China timber trade, the risks of increasing
the adverse effects of this trade could be rising.
