In Africa, particularly Black African countries, one issue predominates the discussion of U.S. Presidential candidates: South Africa. To this end, Africans tend to favor Democratic candidates, recalling the more vigorous human rights policies of Democratic former President Jimmy Carter.

"Right now there's a sense that any candidate would be preferable to Reagan," John W. Thomas, lecturer in Public Policy at the Kennedy School of Government, says. Although most of the Democratic candidates seem indistinguishable, "They [Africans] are intrigued by [the Rev.] Jesse L. Jackson, and ask me whether he has a chance," Thomas says.

"There is a sense throughout Africa that as long as the U.S. can keep supporting the white regime in South Africa, it cannot be pro-Africa," Thomas says. There is also some misunderstanding on the part of Africans: "They cannot understand why Reagan is so popular, or why American foreign policy is so Soviet Union-directed, and it's hard for me to explain."

A major Reagan campaign pledge in 1980 was his firm commitment to Taiwan, but the President has modified that stance over the past three years. The resulting policy has created ambivalence toward Reagan in Taiwan and mainland China alike.

Anxious to cement its ties with other Third World nations, leaders of Communist China have become more openly critical of the United States, though generally not of Reagan himself, Williams Professor of History and Political Science Benjamin I. Schwartz says. Attitudes of the Taiwan government has been similarly critical, but have fluctuated with declining expectations of the President as he toned down his commitment to arms sales for that country. Schwartz says, "It's still a bit premature, but as elections approach, you'll probably see a move away from Reagan."

Waiting, then, seems to be the game for both foreign governments and American diplomats concerned with the impact of the upcoming election