week 12

Question 1

beliefs on China-African relations

Answer 1

1. African actors only exercise agency when brokering
   relations with China
2. African actors do not exercise agency in structuring and managing engagement modalities.

The author believe this view is limited and does not
capture the complex and contested ways in which African actors influence interactions with their Chinese
counterparts

Question 2

Negative Narrative

Answer 2

China is a beneficiary of the global economic system of neoliberal capitalism. Its engagements are bad and are an extension of neocolonialist tendencies. Overall Chinese-African partnership is to the detriment of African development.

Question 3

Positive Narrative

Answer 3

China is a good development partner, positively shaping Africa’s development trajectories through infrastructure. Skills & technology transfer necessary for Africa’s economic and structural transformation also key part of partnership

Question 4

Why the focus on Ethiopia

Answer 4

1. Second-largest recipient of Chinese finance and yet has no substantive natural resource.
2. First African country where Chinese enterprises have developed wind infrastructure.
3. Seen as one of the few African countries able to meaningfully and strategically exercise agency with not only China, but any external actor
4. Highly-aid dependent while not being a “pawn” or “passive player”

Question 5

Chinese Media

Answer 5

Chinese media is predominantly state controlled: Xinhua News, CCTV, the People’s Daily.
● China ranked 179/180 in press freedom globally.
● All platforms are subject to strict government regulation
● Weibo: a microblogging platform transformed Chinese social media in allowing people to connect with one another by blogging their days.
● Media is a vesicle for surveillance and censorship.

Question 6

Relationship Between Chinese and African Media

Answer 6

China is taking an active lead in driving the terms of the Africa-Chinese relationship.
● Chinese investment in infrastructure, legal systems, weapons, and manufacturing have engendered controversy.
○ This has affected the way the Chinese perceive Africa and the sustainability of the bi-lateral relationship
○ Chinese don’t know much about Africa: they don’t care to know unless it pertains to something that
affects them. (ex: the Chinese lifestyle in Africa)
● The problem: media is state controlled, for new and “freer” organizations in China, Africa is not attractive enough to make a high investment for an overseas permanent office.

Question 6

China’s role in the media industry

Answer 6

The relationship between African and Chinese has switched from politically oriented to now “business-lead”.
● China feels responsible for streamlining the media relationship and perception.
● Complete overhaul of media communication about Africa placed in the state’s hands.
○ Xinhua’s first office in Nairobi established in 2006 (Africa headquarters).
○ CCTV first overseas station in nairobi in 2011.
○ China Daily Africa bureau in 2012

Question 7

Formation of the de facto Monopoly on African Reporting

Answer 7

Until recently” the Chinese state had a de facto monopoly on reporting and the dissemination of information on Africa-related stories.
● Accurate descriptions of African relations are difficult to find as it collides with stances on China-Africa Relations.
● 1950s: media focused on decolonization and independence struggles
● 1980s: its motivations to engage with Africa’s natural resources became evident in reporting
● There is a common singular understanding of Africa in China due to the unification of information channels
● African news in Chinese media mainly pertains to China’s engagement with Africa.

Question 8

Barriers to Info Flow

Answer 8

1. Africans are “fed up” with media agenda of “death, disease, and destruction” (the rising Africa narrative)
2. A lack of funding to establish bureaus in Africa for more diversified Chinese media organizations
3. Lack of knowledge of Africa by Chinese media correspondents (Africa as a C category)

Question 9

Changing Perceptions of Africa in the Chinese Mind

Answer 9

Effect of the de facto monopoly on media: anecdotal and shallow knowledge on Africa.
● Communist Youth League Survey asked “how much do you know about Africa?”: 71.7% knew very little, 10% new nothing at all.
○ 15.9% of respondents said they saw Africa solely as impoverished and underdeveloped.
○ 14.5% link Africa with AIDS
● Survey conducted right around 2006 FOCAC conference, then again in 2009
○ 70% of respondents now said they acquire knowledge about Africa though new reports (3x)
■ 53% still saw Africa as having a “laggard economy, skinny, starving children”.
■ 19% saw Africa with “frequent warfare and Somali pirates”.
● Survey result suggest a greater density of media coverage.
● China realizes media requires more professionalism and reliable information

Question 10

WeChat and We Media

Answer 10

● Private companies are playing a key role now in facilitating the transformation of China-Africa relations from political to business.
● WeChat played a major role in breaking up the “de facto” monopoly on Chinese reporting about Africa.
● 253 million to 649 million in the last 7 years have joined.
● WeChat is distributed only once in 24 hours, posters with “rich practical, attractive, and interesting” content will win followers and “survive”.

Question 11

WeChat Community: the “Active Participant”

Answer 11

● Launched for “message transmission, social life sharing, public account subscriptions, applications, and games.
● Automatic reply with interactors.
● Idea is to create a sense of a “free and direct information flow among people”
● Stimulate a desire for expression among subscribers.
● Chinese media censorship creates:
○ Cultural homogenization
○ Suppresses diversity of thought
○ Impacts creativity and innovation
○ Immense fear amongst citizens.

Question 12

The Role of Africa in Chinese Social Media

Answer 12

● Social media is breaking down the media monopoly.
● After entering “Africa” and choosing a period of the last four years, an average of weekly searches increased from 1,200 in 2011 to 3,200 in 2013.
● There are more people to offer accurate stories.
● Creating spaces for Africans to understand Chinese culture and business.
○ Reciprocal!
● Using social platforms to report on the Chinese experience in Africa.
○ Special channel: 357 accounts
■ “African drumming lessons”.
○ Accounts created by Chinese embassies in Africa

Question 13

HSHAFRICA

Answer 13

● “Buy For and From Africa”
● Established by former employee of Xingua.
● Delivers 4-8 article to subscribers daily pertaining to “currency exchanges, Kenyan business policies, local development strategies, and information about second-hand goods”.
● Creating the pan-African information exchange.
● Average daily visits to her channel range from 15,000 to 30,000.
● “Why Africans Hate Chinese” 2014.
○ Notion of misbehavior and dishonorable business
○ Can never publish realities of Chinese engagement in Africa, providing only good stories.