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Much of the best analysis on China-Africa relations is being done by think tanks, NGOs and other stakeholders who regularly publish their findings online. The suggested reading list below is by no means exhaustive as there is an abundance of equally worthwhile long-form research available online. These so-called "long reads" often portray a more accurate picture of the situation on the ground in Africa than what is often found in mainstream news reporting on the subject. This is largely due to the fact that most newsrooms lack the necessary expertise and the severe time/space restrictions inherent in journalistic formats.
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africa in their words: A Study of Chinese Traders in South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, Zambia and Angola
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Funded by the South Africa-based Brenthurst Foundation, researchers for this study on Chinese merchants in Africa conducted nearly 200 in-depth interviews in five countries in Southern Africa – South Africa, Lesotho, Zambia, Botswana and Angola – between April 2011 and February 2012. The report examines why Chinese traders have proved so successful in Africa and what their experiences might tell us about the future of Chinese–African relations. Download the full report here (PDF).
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Africa must get real about Chinese ties
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When former Nigerian central bank governor Sanusi Lumido Sanusi published this opinion column in the Financial Times in 2013 it created a firestorm of debate and controversy. Lumido's assertion that China's engagement in Africa is akin to colonialism provided powerful ammunition to Beijing's critics who oppose the increasingly unequal economic relationship between the two regions. Read more...
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Chinese engagement in africa: Drivers, Reactions, and Implications for U.S. PolicyLarry Hanauer and Lyle Morris of the US-based think tank Rand Corporation examine the implications of China's rise in Africa for US foreign policy on the continent. Download the full report (PDF)
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Localizing Chinese Enterprises in Africa: from Myths to PoliciesHong Kong-based scholars Barry Sautman and Yan Hairong tackle of one of the most pervasive mis-perceptions about the Chinese in Africa in their 2015 report on Chinese labor practices. The two researched 400 enterprises in various African countries to better understand Chinese hiring practices of local workers. Read the full report here.
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ernst & young attractiveness survey 2015
The annual Ernst & Young Africa Attractiveness Survey is an invaluable myth-busting resource about the Chinese in Africa and should be required reading for all journalists covering Sino-African economic engagement. Through a series of articles and elegant graphics, the annual E&Y survey details foreign investment trends in Africa and how China is far from the dominant investment force that many Western observers claim incorrectly. Read the full report (PDF)
“They Know Everything We Do” Telecom and Internet Surveillance in Ethiopia |
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In a 2014 report, HRW details how Chinese telecommunications companies are reportedly implementing advanced surveillance technologies in Ethiopia's new voice and data networks, prompting allegations of human rights violations and renewed calls for the international community to take action. Read the full report (PDF).
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The Anatomy of the Resource Curse: Predatory Investment in Africa’s Extractive IndustriesResearcher J.R. Mailey exposes the secret operations of Sam Pa and his secretive Hong Kong-based Queensway Group company that does billions of dollars in off-book deals throughout Africa. Mailey's in-depth report offers a rare look inside the dark world of illicit resource deals and how some Chinese companies are seemingly emulating the corruption of Africa's colonial past. Read the full report here (PDF).
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AFRICA’S FISHERIES’ PARADISE AT A CROSSROADS: INVESTIGATING CHINESE COMPANIES’ ILLEGAL FISHING PRACTICES IN WEST AFRICAChina's distant water fishing fleet in Africa now totals almost 500 vessels that, according to Greenpeace Africa, are engaging in illegal over-fishing that jeopardizes the environment and livelihoods of millions on the continent. Read the full report (PDF).
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Why is China investing in Africa? Evidence from the firm level
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This Brookings Institute report by a trio of accomplished China-scholars details the patterns of Chinese private-sector investment in Africa. This paper goes a long way to demystify a number of long-held stereotypes about Chinese investment patterns in Africa and offers insights on where PRC companies are setting up operations and why. Read the full report (PDF).
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China in Africa’s media and
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Chinese companies are wiring up Africa with new voice and data networks, digital TV services and multimedia outlets as part of an ambitious soft-power agenda. However, Beijing's growing dominance of African IT may also present clear dangers both in terms of civil rights and cyber-security. Read the full report (PDF).
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