Centre for Chinese Studies

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The Centre for Chinese Studies (CCS) at Stellenbosch University is the leading African research institution for innovative & policy relevant analysis of the relations between China and Africa.

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Browsing Centre for Chinese Studies by Author "Anthony, Ross"

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    African regional economic communities engagement with China
    (2014-09) Esterhuyse, Harrie Willie; Cisse, Daouda; Anthony, Ross; Burgess, Meryl
    The development of effective African Regional Economic Communities (RECs) stands to benefit African countries immensely. Transnational free trade regions, single customs unions, single markets, single currencies and other forms of political and economic integration have the potential to strengthen both inter-regional and international trade as well as creating more robust solutions to issues of food, climate, health and political security. Nevertheless, implementation has proved a formidable challenge: lack of adequate economic and political structures, institutions and policies has impeded progress. The ability to strengthen many aspects of RECs are up to member states: agreeing on a set of political and socio-economic strategic priorities at the core of regional integration, implementing mechanisms for cooperation and integration as well as ensuring compliance are all challenges which need to be negotiated internally. A crucial aspect is formulating coherent policy on how to engage with external actors. Along with the European Union and the United States of America, China is now an undeniably influential actor with regards to all African RECs. With a co-ordinated China policy, RECs can effectively foster regional integration through both increased trade capacity and infrastructural development. This policy brief focuses on three RECs - SADC (Southern African Development Community); ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) and the EAC (East African community) – as illustration of how Chinese investment has been harnessed.
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    China’s role in the East African oil and gas sector : a new model of engagement
    (Stellenbosch University, Centre for Chinese Studies, 2012-08) Anthony, Ross
    The oil and gas bonanza currently underway in East African looks set to alter the broader economic and geopolitical landscape of the region. As China continues its quest for energy security, East Africa is becoming an increasingly important region. Both Chinese state and non-state companies have gained a foot-hold in Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia and Kenya, where they are involved in both upstream and downstream activities. The Chinese presence, while significant, is off-set by a host of Euro-American, Middle Eastern and other Asian companies also involved in exploiting the region’s energy reserves. Infrastructural underdevelopment in the region is forcing Chinese companies to engage on the continent in new ways including the rise of joint Chinese-Euro-American ventures. This trend, in which China and its partners own financial stakes in infrastructure projects located in geo-politically unstable regions, will have future implications regarding security and national sovereignty within the region.
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    Chinese engagement in African security — pragmatism and shifts under the surface
    (Stellenbosch University, Centre for Chinese Studies, 2013-09) Anthony, Ross; Grimm, Sven
    As China’s economic expansion continues, its role in global international affairs has become more prominent. Not least so Chinese trade and investment in Africa will have implications regarding peace and security, both within Africa but also globally. The security implications of this relationship are broad, ranging from the political calculus of setting up businesses and securing assets, to the far broader picture of China’s role in regional and global security architectures. These micro- and macro-processes are linked in significant ways, as frequently witnessed in commodities industries, where the investment and securitization of raw materials in fragile states have direct implications for larger concerns such as national and global energy strategies, regional and geo-political security. This brief analyses current trends and debates, and provides recommendations for a way forward.
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    Development in the Xinjiang Uyghur autonomous region : spatial transformation and the construction of difference in Western China
    (Stellenbosch University, Centre for Chinese Studies, 2012-03) Anthony, Ross
    The third CCS Discussion Paper for 2012 offers an ethnographic description and analysis of a recent development project in one of the central Uyghur neighbourhoods in the regional capital of Urumqi. In the past two decades, China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region has been the recipient of several large-scale development projects which have occurred in conjunction with market-orientated mechanisms introduced to help foster growth. Because such measures have been introduced in conjunction with the large-scale migration of Han Chinese to this traditionally non-Han region, critics have argued that such measures merely assist a process of “internal colonialism”. The territory, occupied primarily by Uyghurs, a Turkic Muslim ethnic group, has a considerable history of resistance to Beijing rule. Thus, the recent economic development of the region has been viewed by scholars, not to mention many Uyghurs, as Beijing’s attempt to consolidate the Chinese presence in the region.
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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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    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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    South Africa’s relations with China and Taiwan: Economic realism and the ‘One China’ doctrine
    (Stellenbosch University Centre for Chinese Studies, 2013-11) Anthony, Ross; Grimm, Sven; Kim, Yejoo; Centre for Chinese Studies. Policy breifing
    In 1998, after the fall of apartheid, South Africa commenced diplomatic relations with the People’s Re-public of China (PRC). This ‘normalisation’ of South Africa’s China policy came with a condition to recognise Beijing’s ‘One China’ policy proclaiming Taiwan an inalienable part of China. At the heart of the relationship between South Africa, China and Taiwan exists an economic pragmatism which exists in tandem with a policy of diplomatic isolationism. Nevertheless, while trade with Taiwan has continued, South Africa has been loath to strengthen the relationship, in part due to a fear of alienating its relationship with China. Given that relations with China have steeply increased in importance, cautious behaviour of the South African government is reasonable. However, in the case of economic diplomacy towards Taiwan, South Africa appears to not use available policy space. This can be seen as reflective of a South African foreign policy accused of being beholden to China.