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Don't get fooled!
Myths, stereotypes and even outright lies about the Chinese in Africa are remarkably durable. Too much reporting on China's engagement on the continent is oversimplified and relies on unverified anecdotes.
When covering the China-Africa relationship, many reporters inadvertently come with existing narratives they then seek to reaffirm in their coverage. This explains why many myths about the Chinese in Africa are recycled over and over again - despite a lack of evidence. The China-Africa relationship also covers a lot of ground. Is the China-Africa story economic? Political? Military? Cultural? Environmental? It's all of this and more. For many journalists who lack the necessary background it can feel overwhelming, and often leads to an oversimplification of the story to make it digestible for themselves and their audiences. This is not a simple story to cover. Therefore, it is essential to avoid journalistic shortcuts that rely on unsubstantiated information about the way China and Africa interact. |
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Myth #1: Chinese companies in Africa only hire Chinese workers
The presence of Chinese labor in Africa is both controversial and poorly understood. Although PRC companies import a significant number of workers, the facts disprove the myth that the majority of workers on Chinese-funded projects are Chinese.
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Myth #2: China is africa's #1 investor
Although China is by far Africa's largest trading partner, the size of its investment portfolio on the continent is relatively small. Many journalists inaccurately conflate TRADE with INVESTMENT. By 2015, China ranked only #7 in African foreign direct investment, far behind the United States, Germany, and even the United Arab Emirates.
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Myth #3: china exports prison labor to work in africa
For years researchers have scoured Africa for evidence that China exports prisoners to Africa. To date, they have found no such evidence. Absolutely none. While people share fantastic stories based on hearing about Chinese prison camps, guards and convicts, these are almost certainly myths based on misunderstandings.
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Myth #4: africa is now one of china's top trading partners
While China is now one of Africa's most important trading partners, the reverse is not true. Africa represents less than 5% of China's global trade balance, most of it in commodities that can be sourced elsewhere. Africa barely registers in terms of the value of its trade compared to the PRC's major trading partners in Europe, the USA and the Middle East.
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myth #5: chinese investments in africa are centrally planned in beijing
China is a Communist government and the Chinese domestic economy is sometimes still centrally planned. In the past this included encouraging Chinese companies to expand abroad. However, the decision of where to go is made by the companies alone and almost always guided by a single factor: profits.
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