Category Archives: China and African countries

Deals with topics concerning Chinese investment and presence in countries of Sub-Saharan Africa

EU-Africa-China relations: a bull frog’s view from the restaurant floor

Posted on November 27, 2011 by

The scene Tonight I had dinner at a Chinese restaurant in Lusaka, Zambia. The premises were quite opulent and luxurious: the large two-story brick building was brightly lit and easily spotted at a distance. After having waded through the layer … Continue reading →

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Foreign aid, trade and development: The strategic presence of China, Japan and Korea in sub-Saharan Africa

Posted on May 9, 2011 by

From international marginalization to center stage: The new Afro-optimism.  China’s rulers, foreign ministry and state-controlled newspapers all say that Africa is ripe for take-off. This optimistic slogan is refreshing after so many decades of “Afro-pessimism,” which focused on the tragedies … Continue reading →

Posted in China and African countries | 1 Comment

The Chinese “out-sorcerers” in Africa

Posted on March 27, 2011 by

Snapshot of a 19th century ethnic Chinese business in Zanzibar If you have the chance to visit the palace museum Beit al-Sahel in  Zanzibar’s Stone Town, and are interested in the history of Sino-African relations, don’t miss a photo on the … Continue reading →

Posted in China and African countries | 1 Comment

The coming collapse of China’s soft power

Posted on March 23, 2011 by

It has begun This post is not arguing that the Chinese state is crumbling, that an economic collapse is imminent, or that China’s rise is over. To the contrary, the Chinese Party-state is very much in the driver’s seat. It is … Continue reading →

Posted in China and African countries, Chinese foreign policy, The Chinese Internet | 6 Comments

Colonel Gaddafi and the collective memory of Tiananmen

Posted on February 24, 2011 by

Tiananmen in Colonel Gaddafi’s speech Colonel Gaddafi’s public appearance on Libyan state television on February 22 looked like the last act of a forty-two year long drama – endured by ordinary Libyans for far too long. Even seasoned old Libya … Continue reading →

Posted in China and African countries | 4 Comments

Comparing Egypt, China, and T-square crackdowns

Posted on February 4, 2011 by

Are you also allergic to strange juxtapositions of countries names, such as “Chindia”? Or perhaps tired of all-inclusive adjectives such as “pessoptimistic.” Such “words” mean little when pronounced and they leave an awkward feeling that will haunt you for…a few … Continue reading →

Posted in China and African countries | 2 Comments

Will the rest of Africa catch the “Juba bug?”

Posted on January 16, 2011 by

Apart from the contested Abyei area (yet to hold its local referendum on unity or secession) between North and South Sudan, the referendum in South Sudan that was agreed upon in the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) has been held … Continue reading →

Posted in Challenging state power in China, China and African countries | Leave a comment