Research Reports (Centre for Chinese Studies)

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    Chinese presence in real estate in South Africa and Mauritius
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, Centre for Chinese Studies, 2016-02) Cowaloosur, Honita; Centre for Chinese Studies. Research Reports
    China has recently taken the global community by surprise with a surging interest in overseas real estate investment. While United Kingdom (UK), United States of America (USA), Canada and Australia are the usual prized destination of these investments, China’s general economic activities give enough reasons to believe that Africa will soon be emerging as one of the new real estate investment destinations. Preliminary statistics from research centres, and media and public discourses highlight South Africa and Mauritius as two of the most popular destinations of Chinese real estate investment. This paper investigates the substantiality of these hypotheses and assesses the impact Chinese real estate activities have on the socio-economic environment of the respective two countries. It also provides policy propositions that would ease these prospective challenges to the two societies.
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    South African relations with China and Taiwan Economic realism and the “One-China” doctrine
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University. Centre for Chinese Studies, 2014-02) Grimm, Sven; Kim, Yejoo; Anthony, Ross; Centre for Chinese Studies. Policy Briefing
    Since 2009, China is South Africa’s largest bilateral trade partner with political relations between Beijing and Pretoria deepening in recent years. The Chinese government position claims it is a ‘win-win’ situation, but is South Africa maximizing its benefits in the relationship? The research report situated the current relationship within the broader context of South Africa’s foreign and economic policies toward China (the Mainland, Taiwan and Hong Kong) as well as identifying challenges and opportunities marking the engagement. The launch of the report in Cape Town (21 February) invited debate and reflection on the current and future state of South Africa-China relations.
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    Chinese investors – saving the Zambian textile and clothing industry
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2012-10) Eliassen, Ina; Stellenbosch University. Centre for Chinese Studies
    In the context of reduced aid from traditional donors and the changing modalities of aid, FDI from non-traditional development partners as China has become an important driver for development agenda’s in African countries. As FDI does not automatically lead to economic growth and poverty reduction, and since there is no single “Chinese model” for economic cooperation, it is up to African leaders to ensure institutions and policies to reap the benefit of FDI. This paper sets out to further our understanding of how Chinese investments in the Zambian textile and clothing industry impacts economic development, as a sector important for employment creation and ultimately poverty alleviation. Overall, this paper demonstrates the challenges to industrialise in the context of a liberal market and the globalised international economy. Despite Chinese engagements in manufacturing, Zambia remains an exporter of unprocessed natural resources and loses out in terms of economic development from TC manufacturing activities.
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    South Africas changing foreign policy in a multi-polar world - the influence of China and other emerging powers
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University. Centre for Chinese Studies, 2015-09) Anthony, Ross; Tembe, Paul; Gull, Olivia; Stellenbosch University. Centre for Chinese Studies
    In recent years, critics of the South African government have accused it of increasingly abandoning its commitments to human rights and democracy in its international engagements. In addition to this being viewed as a turn toward an ‘African agenda’, the growing geopolitical influence of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) grouping has also been attributed to this perceived shift. As South Africa’s largest trading partner, China in particular has been singled out as exerting influence on relations with other countries. This mini-report discusses certain evidence related to this shift, including South Africa’s engagement with issues of human rights as well as its relationship with China. South Africa’s changing behaviour needs to be grasped within the context of broader geopolitical shifts and how a shared experience of colonialism unifies these new partners.
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    African students in China : an exploration of increasing numbers and their motivations in Beijing
    (Stellenbosch University, Centre for Chinese Studies, 2012-09) Ferdjani, Hannane
    This report focuses on the growing phenomenon of African students migrating to China for their studies, from a holistic and quantitative point of view, specifically, their perceptions and experiences in the system of Higher Education cooperation and exchange between African and China. The trend of educational migration has accelerated and been institutionalized since the turn of the millennium, which emphasizes the need for up-to-date research. This report is the result of Phandulwazi nge China scholar Hannane Ferdjani’s work at the CCS between May and July 2012. She conducted fieldwork in Beijing in June this year. This research report is the first fruit of the CCS scholarship programme Phandulwazi nge China (“Knowledge about China” in isiXhosa). The scholarships offer opportunities for African researchers to spend research time at the Centre in order to advance mutual learning and a better exchange on interpretations of political, economic or environmental impact of Chinese engagement in Africa. This programme is kindly supported by Open Society Foundation.