Policy Briefings (Centre for Chinese Studies)

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Browsing Policy Briefings (Centre for Chinese Studies) by Author "Kim, Yejoo"

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    Increased Chinese engagement in South Africa’s economy – strategies, opportunities and future implications
    (2015-03) Kim, Yejoo; Jones, Indiana; Chen, Shen; Jiang, Jialing; van den Berg, Margot
    China and South Africa’s relationship has deepened in recent years. Extensive political structures, such as South Africa’s Comprehensive Strategic Partnership agreement with China, provide opportunities for bettering local development. Through various partnerships, initiatives and agreements, trade between China and South Africa has grown immensely - totalling ZAR 270 billion in 2013 with foreign direct in- vestment (FDI) booming across sectors. This policy brief discusses the role of finance, telecoms, infrastructure, energy and mining, manufacturing, and tourism in order to better grasp China-South African economic engagement and identify ways in which such investments can benefit local development.
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    Paving the road ahead – China-Africa co-operation in the infrastructure sector
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2015-11) Tukic, Nusa; Kim, Yejoo; Stellenbosch University. Centre for Chinese Studies
    China has launched a number of initiatives regarding infrastructural development globally, with a specific focus on scaling up infrastructure throughout the African continent. The BRICS New Development Bank and Chinese infrastructure initiatives such as the China-led Africa Growing Together Fund (AGTF) are expected to play a significant role ranging from financing to technology transfer. In January 2015, China and the Africa Union (AU) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on infrastructural development. China and the AU have agreed to put collective effort into improving Africa’s infrastructure including high speed railways, aviation, and road highways. Against this background, the Second Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Summit will be a platform accelerating the co-operation between China and African states at multiple levels in the infrastructure sector. Prior to the Summit, we should scrutinise Sino-African co-operation in infrastructure both in the past and present in order to map out the future relationship and determine what opportunities and challenges lie in the future. This policy brief offers an overview of Chinese engagement in Africa, with a specific focus on East Africa. In recent years, the East African region in particular has been one of the most prominent beneficiaries of this development, with mega projects including Kenya’s Port Lamu, the Southern Sudan-Ethiopia Transport (LAPSSET) corridor and the construction of a Standard Gauge Railway in Kenya. The brief examines the transport sector and its potential to connect African countries by reducing the costs of moving people and goods, and integrating markets.
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    South Africa-China multi-lateral co-operation: BRICS and FOCAC
    (2015-08) Kim, Yejoo; Tukić, Nuša
    The 21st Century has witnessed the emergence of a number of non-western powers, many of which have entered into formal partnerships, driven predominantly by a common development agenda. A prominent engagement within this new context is the China-South Africa relationship which, in recent years, has been strengthened through both bi-lateral exchanges as well as various multi-lateral frameworks. Two major partnerships include BRICS, an association of five major emerging economies – Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, and FOCAC, the Forum on China–Africa Cooperation – a triennial ministerial meeting whose aim is to enhance co-operation between China and African states at multiple levels. South Africa’s inclusion in the BRICS grouping bestows on it a prestigious position in the continent as well as in the global arena. At the upcoming FOCAC VI in 2015, it is expected that South Africa as co-chair will yet again show its commitment in taking initiatives to resolve Africa’s challenges. This Policy Brief discusses the importance of South Africa’s growing role in these groupings with a focus on how its membership can contribute to South Africa’s sustainable development and help it to garner opportunities.
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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.