China in Africa
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Transcript of China in Africa
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China in AfricaChina in Africa
Christine Avenarius, PhDDepartment of Anthropology, East Carolina University
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AnthropologyAnthropologyBiological AnthropologyArchaeologyLinguistic AnthropologyCultural Anthropology
◦Why do people do what they do?◦Understanding others from their point
of view◦Participant observation as the
framework of learning about others
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China in AfricaChina in Africa
Who are the Chinese in Africa?Why are the Chinese in Africa? What do local people think about the Chinese in Africa?
What should the US make of the presence of the Chinese in Africa?
Why are some observers upset?
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Which China? Which Which China? Which Africa? Africa?
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Which China? Which Which China? Which Africa? Africa? China Africa
1.3 billion people 1 billion people
1 state 54 states363 people/ sq.mile 80
people/ sq.mile
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Which China?Which China?
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Which Africa? Which Africa? Colonial Africa ca. 1920
Africa in 2006
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Which Africa? Which Africa?
Africa today:- creative entrepreneurs- new elites- emerging middle classes
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What is China doing in What is China doing in Africa? Africa? The macro view The macro view
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EU and US opinionsEU and US opinions• China is predatory• China is displacing African industries• China is embedding Africa in relations of dependencies
Neo-colonialism ?
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Which countries in Africa?Which countries in Africa?
A selection:Angola, Nigeria, SudanZambia
Ghana, Tanzania Namibia
Note: Many African traders live in China (South China is home to “Africatowns”)
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History of China in Africa History of China in Africa relationsrelations1890s: railroad workers in South Africa1950s: beginning of courtship to win
votes from African nation-states to secure a UN seat
1960s: aid to emerging African nation-states
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… … history… history… 1970 to 1975: building the TAZARA
railway
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… … historyhistory1978/1983: “Opening up” policy
◦economic reforms in China Pragmatism towards Africa Need to establish a win-win cooperation with
African nation-states
1995: “Going out” policy ◦every upstanding Chinese citizen can
obtain a a passport◦encouragement of economic cooperation
“footnote:” international community begins to take note in 2006
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China’s foreign policy since China’s foreign policy since the 1990s the 1990s Strategies promoted by Strategies promoted by Deng Xiaoping:Deng Xiaoping:
Observe calmlySecure our positionCope with affairs calmlyHide our capacities and bide our
timeBe good at maintaining a low
profileNever claim leadershipMake some contributions
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The “cliff notes” on China’s The “cliff notes” on China’s policypolicyNo interferenceNo attachment to conditions
build economic infrastructure, but stay away from influencing political structures
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“You don't know how much we can love you, provided you don't try to tell us what to do. You cannot impose your culture on me. But if you respect my culture and if you try to be good to me and really think in terms of the human side of me, we'll be ready to stand on your side, you know.“ (Namibian citizen)
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Who are the Chinese in Who are the Chinese in Africa? Africa? Government officialsPara-statal companies building
infrastructure, mining facilities, oil refineries
Private entrepreneurs ◦large private construction companies◦small business owners◦street vendors◦transient migrants (by way of Europe
or on the way towards Europe/US)
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How many Chinese? How many Chinese?
No official figures availableChinese government is not able to provide numbers for private Chinese entrepreneurs either
Depends on country and projects- Nigeria: up to 50 000 Chinese? - Angola: up to10 000 Chinese? - Sudan: up to 10 000 Chinese?
2000 registered private enterprises in 2010
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Construction companies and Construction companies and Oil refineriesOil refineriesChinese laborers live in separate
camps from locals
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Agricultural land grabs?Agricultural land grabs? no substantial evidence compare to other countries and
other purchases
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Why are the Chinese in Why are the Chinese in Africa?Africa?At the corporate level:pragmatic cooperation for mutual
benefitsto advance Africa’s socioeconomic
developmentto secure China’s access to vital
resources South-South Alliances
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Why are the Chinese in Why are the Chinese in Africa?Africa?At the private entrepreneur level: Limited economic opportunities in ChinaCrowded living conditions in ChinaSons need funds for a house to woe a wifeThe Chinese dream: from rags to richesAfrican nation-states are
s“lands of opportunity”
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What do Chinese and local What do Chinese and local people think about each people think about each other? other? Mutual admirationMutual loathing
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Mutual admirationMutual admirationResidents of Africa:
◦Young people enjoy martial arts◦General public admires efficiency,
work ethnic, simple lifestylesChinese people:
◦Admire the beauty and vastness of the land
◦Magnificence of animals
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Mutual loathingMutual loathing
Racist attitudes on both sidesChinese say:
locals are lazy locals focus on presence, not futuregovernment officials extort money
Feizhou = negative continent
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Mutual loathingMutual loathingLocals say: • Chinese people are hoarding our resources• Chinese people sell low quality goods and build low quality buildings/roads• Chinese people don’t train local workers and don’t comply with labor laws and regulations• Chinese people don’t invest in local economy (e.g. banking)
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Case Study: Chinese in Case Study: Chinese in NamibiaNamibia
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NamibiaNamibia
2. 1 million people numerous ethnic groups7% white people
Languages:EnglishAfrikaansGermanethnic languages
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Ethnographic FieldworkEthnographic FieldworkShort time period: 6 weeksObservation (no participation)Archival data: newspaper clippingsInterviews
◦Informal interviews: 54 (and 4 key informants)
◦Semi-structured interviews: 51◦Structured interviews using props: 14
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Unstructured interviewsUnstructured interviewsMale Female Total
Chinese 10 10 20
White Namibians
10 4 14
Black Namibians
8 5 13
Colored Namibians
2 5 7
Semi-structured interviewsMale Female Total
Chinese 16 8 24
White Namibians
12 4 16
Black Namibians
8 3 11
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FindingsFindingsBlack Namibians (Ovambo, Herero, Damara,
Nama) own few retail shops Chinatown is a retail ghettoConstruction companies dominate public
opinion and awarenessBlack elite considers Chinese as “honorary
blacks”Government disconnected from public
opinion
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Findings regarding Chinese Findings regarding Chinese migrantsmigrantsVery little opportunity for interaction
beyond business transactionsConstruction workers are completely
isolatedVery little English skills (even less
Afrikaans or indigenous languages) Early migrants are successful as
brokers
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… … findings on Chinese migrantsfindings on Chinese migrantsDifferences between younger and older
Chinese (40 years of age is the threshold) in opinions about business strategies
Chinese migrants feel harassed by government officials
Chinese migrants have established very few visible community organizations for themselves
Socializing takes place in online communities
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Findings regarding NamibiansFindings regarding NamibiansWhite business owners are impressed by
Chinese work ethic and benefit from the business of construction companies
Employees of big Namibian corporations are disturbed about Chinese working conditions and competition
Newspapers promote negative stereotypes about Chinese companies.
Lower class and middle class Namibians are not well informed
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… … findings regarding Namibiansfindings regarding Namibians
Black and Colored Namibians appreciate the shopping opportunities
“Chinese Dollar stores” offer an alternative to South African owned chain stores
Consuming is the new past-time…
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What makes Chinese What makes Chinese successful?successful?Willing to “eat bitterness”Willing to “do what it takes”Creative economics:
circumventing regulationsLive like the local people Efficient and effective Playing local people against each
other
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What connects Chinese What connects Chinese and Africans?and Africans?Kinship orientationHierarchical view of social
relationships◦humans are not considered equal◦networking and reliance on “key
people”Both cultural groups that interact
are unable to say “no”Similar decision making strategies:
◦Palaver (Africa) and Consensus (China)
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China and many African nation-China and many African nation-states share(d) structural states share(d) structural similaritiessimilaritiesNeed for reform in light of Euro-
American industrialization and economic advantage
Large proportions of poor citizensEarly statehood characterized by:
◦ reliance on agriculture, lack of industry Need for infrastructureTight connection between state and
economic interests Advancement of the interests of the
state at the expense of ordinary people
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Is ‘neo-colonialism’ a good Is ‘neo-colonialism’ a good label?label?China accepts the sovereignty of
African nation-statesChina is not on a mission to convert
African nation states to their point of view
China is more interested in Africans as consumers than as laborers
Postcolonial interdependency (though economically imbalanced)
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“Africa and China are the most unequal equals.”
Julius Nyerere (1922 to 1999)
President of Tanzania (1964 to 1985)
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China prefers bilateral engagement and avoids multilateral agreements
China wants to secure its investments
Although China doesn’t practice ethnocentrism, many Chinese people have a sense of cultural superiority
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What should the US make of What should the US make of the presence of Chinese in the presence of Chinese in Africa? Africa? Establishing personal relationships
mattersChina is not going to “take over”… … but China is not limiting its
activities eitherChina is becoming an important
global player
Engage with China
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'I'll love you, dear, I'll love you Till China and Africa meet,And the river jumps over the
mountain And the salmon sing in the street
Source: W. H. Auden (third verse of his poem “As I walked out one evening,” published in 1940).
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Column1 Angola DR Congo Ghana Namibia Nigeria Sudan Tanzania
Form of Government Republic Republic Constitutional
Democracy Republic Federal Republic Federal Republic Republic
Square km 1,246,700 sq km 2,344,858 sq km 238,533 sq km 824,292 sq km 923,768 sq km 1,861,484 sq km 947,300 sq km
Population size 18,056,072 73,599,190 24,652,420 2,165,828 170,123,740 34,206,710 46,912,768
Number of Ethnicities Min. of 5 Over 200, most
Bantu or Hamitic Min. of 10 Min. of 9 Over 250 5 Min of 4, most are Bantu
Ethnic Group Ovimbundu 37% Mongo (Bantu) Akan 45.3% Ovambo 50% Hausa and Falani 29%
Sudanese Arab 70% Bantu 95%
Ethnic Group Kimbundu 25% Luba (Bantu) Mole-Dagbon 15.2% Kavangos- 9% Yoruba 21% Fur Other (European,
Asian, Arab)- 1%
Ethnic Group Bakongo 13% Kongo (Bantu) Ewe 11.7% Herero 7% Igbo 18% Beja
Ethnic Group mestico 2%Mangbetu-
Azande (Hamitic) 45%
Ga-Dangme 7.3% Damara 7% Ijaw 10% Nuba
Ethnic Group Other 23% Gurma 3.6% Mixed with white 6.5% Kanuri 4% Fallata
Religious Affiliation
Indigenous- 47% 1998
Roman Catholic- 50% Christian 68.8% Christian- 80-90% Muslim Sunni,
Shia, Sufi- 50% Sunni Muslim Christian- 30%
Religious Affiliation
Roman Catholic- 38% Protestant- 20%
Pentecostal/Charasmatic-
24.1%Lutheran- 50% Christian- 40% Small Christian
minority Muslim- 35%
Religious Affiliation Postestant- 15% Kimbanguist- 10% Muslim Sunni-
15.9%Indigenous- 10-
20% Indigenous- 10% Indigenous- 35%
Religious Affiliation Muslim- Sunnite Muslim- 10% Traditional- 8.5% Zanzibar- Muslim-
99%
GDP $116.3 billion- 2011
$25.29 billion -2011
$75.66 billion- 2011
$15.93 billion- 2011 $414 billion- 2011 $89.16 billion-
2011$67.9 billion-
2011
Export to China 38.10% 48.10% N/A N/A N/A Macau 65.2% 14.30%
Import from China 17.80% 16.20% 20.40% N/A 17.30% Macau 21.5% 17.40%
Main trading partner China, Portugal China, South
Africa France, China N/A US, China Macau (China) China, India
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Angola DR Congo Ghana Namibia Nigeria Sudan Tanzania
Population size 18,056,072 73,599,190 24,652,420 2,165,828 170,123,740 34,206,710 46,912,768
Ethnic Group Ovimbundu -37%
Mongo (Bantu) Akan- 45.3% Ovambo 50% Hausa and
Falani- 29%Sudanese Arab- 70% Bantu 95%
Ethnic Group Kimbundu -25% Luba (Bantu) Mole-Dagbon
15.2%Kavangos- 9% Yoruba- 21% Fur
Other (European, Asian, Arab)- 1%
Ethnic Group Bakongo 13% Kongo (Bantu) Ewe- 11.7% Herero 7% Igbo- 18% Beja
Ethnic Group Mestico- 2%
Mangbetu-Azande (Hamitic) 45%
Ga-Dangme 7.3% Damara 7% Ijaw- 10% Nuba
Ethnic Group Other- 23% Gurma- 3.6% Mixed with white 6.5% Kanuri- 4% Fallata
Population and Ethnicity
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