African East-Asian Affairs | The China Monitor Issue 2

Issue 2 | November 2012

Tu T. Huynh
What People, What Cultural Exchange? A Reflection on China-Africa

Nelago Amadhila
Grassroots Perceptions of China in Namibia: Effects on Domestic Politics and Foreign Policy

Hilary Patroba
China in the Pacific islands: What are the lessons for Africa?

Ewa Cieślik
Regional inequality in distribution of the economic development results in China

[Download Issue 2 of African East-Asian Affairs | The China Monitor here]

African East-Asian Affairs | The China Monitor – Issue 1

 

August 2012

Welcome to the new version of African East-Asian Affairs | The China Monitor in a new look. We have moved towards a more academic journal-type publication that we aspire to be a platform for multidisciplinary academic discussion on China, its global role and, more specifically, China-African relations from the African continent. China has become a major partner of many African states and therefore its internal developments and policies towards African countries is of major importance. One of the key developments in recent years was the mutual interaction and direct engagement between Africa and China; this is a precondition for mutual understanding.

While we do like to stimulate debate, our major aim with this new publication is a balanced and in-depth picture of China, fundamentally rooted in academic standards and analysis. We are convinced that the increased interest in China and its relations with Africa merits this new monthly publication. We will want to offer a range of topics, but might in the future also have thematic issues. If you want to contribute, please send an abstract or the full article (with Harvard citation style, please) to us and we will get in touch.

[Download African East-Asian Affairs | The China Monitor – Issue 1 – August 2012 here]

 

Quo Vadis FOCAC? The fifth Ministerial Meeting of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation

Issue 74 – Special Edition

This special edition of the AEAA | The China Monitor brings together some analysis of the dynamics around the FOCAC V in Beijing and complements our own work on this important date on the China-Africa calendar. Matthew McDonald appraises the proceedings of the FOCAC V meeting based on the Declaration and Action Plan published shortly after.

The three subsequent articles in this special edition offer different appraisals of the FOCAC platform. Huang Meibo and Qi Xie from Xiamen University in China give a categorical account of the commitments China has made to Africa since the inception of the forum, concluding that this is evidence of a co-operative, mutually beneficial relationship. Zhu Ming, from the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies, while also portraying FOCAC in a positive light, highlights some of the “capacity gaps” which the Chinese side still faces. These include increasing the presence of Chinese NGO’s in Africa and putting more effort into winning China’s international media war against negative spin. Writing from St. Andrews University in Scotland, noted China-Africa scholar Ian Taylor’s critique of FOCAC is significantly different; rather than asking how the forum can be bettered, he questions its suitability in terms of the kinds of partnerships it purports to promote. Taylor argues that FOCAC commitments are largely dictated by China, making it more a spectacle in which Beijing bestows gifts of aid as opposed to a serious platform for “development-conscious participants”.

Download this Special Edition of the Africa East-Asian Affairs | The China Monitor here.

East Asia at the frontiers: Japan then – China now

Issue 73 – July 2012

This issue of African East-Asian Affairs | The China Monitor examines two topics which, at first glance, have little to do with current Africa. They bring excursions to Papua New Guinea in the Pacific – and to foregone times of the early 20th century. At the same time, however, they ring intriguingly familiar for those who look at contemporary Chinese engagement on the African continent.

In the first article, Australian scholar Graeme Smith from the China Studies Centre at the University of Sydney Business School examines Chinese investment and activity in the Pacific state of Papua New Guinea. The second piece, from Jean-Raphaël Chaponnière of the Asia Centre at Sciences Po in Paris, offers fascinating historical parallels between Japan in Africa then, and China and Africa now, particularly from the perspective of competitive foreign trade powers, and frustrated local industries.

Also included are some of the CCS Commentaries from the last month, as well as exciting news regarding activities and events at the CCS.

You can download Issue 73 of African East-Asian Affairs | The China Monitor here.

China-Mozambique relations: Support and governance challenges

Issue 72 – June 2012

The attitude of African states and societies towards counterparts in China varies much in line with the experiences made. This edition of African East-Asian Affairs – The China Monitor takes a closer look at Sino-Mozambican interactions, highlighting different facets of the relationship between China and one of Africa’s 54 states.

Our first contribution is on state-to-state relations between Mozambique and China. The contribution by Jorge Njal – who currently lives in Jinhua, Zhejiang province of China – is on state-to-state and party-to-party relations that assist in organising big events such as the All Africa Games in 2011.

Our second contribution, by Mafalda Piçarra, focuses on the Chinese investments in and trade with agricultural and forestry produce of Mozambique. While particularly the second aspect concerns enterprises and individuals – who should not be mistaken as identical to the Chinese state – the article also indicates challenges coming with illicit activities and high levels of corruption. To use a phrase from climate change negotiations: responsibilities are common, but differentiated. In a globalised world, this is also true for development prospects.

You can download Issue 72 of African East-Asian Affairs | The China Monitor here.