Centre for Chinese Studies

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https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/20894
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 Subject "Africa -- Foreign economic relations -- China"

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
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    Chinese-led SEZs in Africa are they a driving force of China's soft power
    (Stellenbosch University, Centre for Chinese Studies, 2013-02) Yejoo, Kim
    This Discussion Paper focuses on Chinese Special Economic Zones as a possible expansion of soft power in Africa. The Chinese government has aspirations to promote development on the African continent, and works according to successful own experiences, amongst which feature the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone and other such experiments. While a success of the SEZs in Africa might contribute to helping establish China’s soft power in Africa, continuous commitment by both China and the host countries is necessary for this to happen. Even though the Chinese government’s unprecedented support and the high-profile politician’s visits have been successful in gaining the support from African governments and elites in terms of the establishment of SEZs, it will take longer to convince the local people since soft power is socially constructed through interaction among various agents. Most of the SEZs are still under construction and have not started operations yet. This prolonged process as well as labour-related issues such as lack of respect for basic workers’ rights, alleged violation of minimum wage legislation, and complaints about poor working conditions have resulted in resentment of local population.
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    Chinese-led special economic zones in Africa : problems on the road to success
    (Stellenbosch University, Centre for Chinese Studies, 2013-03) Yejoo, Kim
    The success of Chinese-led SEZs in Africa is important to both the Chinese government and the host governments. Even though these zones are operating under market conditions, the role of both sides in creating effective institutional arrangement for SEZs is crucial. The Chinese-led SEZ programme was initiated in 2006 and 2007, and was intended to be implemented before 2009. Even though the Chinese government and host governments showed their willingness to push forward SEZ programmes vigorously, most of them have not materialised yet. Most of the SEZs have been under construction and are not yet operating. This paper first provides the brief background of the establishment of SEZs in Africa, then the focus moves to stakeholders involved in the programme. Finally, the paper explores the current situations and navigates the role of the host governments to make the SEZs work. To help the Chinese-led SEZs in Africa to become successful, the host governments must remain actively involved in the SEZs, because their support is more significant than any other aspect. Furthermore, they should provide consistent policies and effective incentives for the investors. On the other hand, the host governments should impose firm requirements in terms of technology transfer and basic working conditions so that their countries can reap the benefits of Chinese investment.
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    Transparency of Chinese aid : an analysis of the published information on Chinese external financial flows
    (Stellenbosch University. Centre for Chinese Studies, 2011-08) Grimm, Sven; Rank, Rachel; Schickerling, Elizabeth; McDonald, Matthew
    There are many myths and misconceptions about the level of information publically available on Chinese efforts and activities in the developing world. With the growing momentum around ‘aid transparency’ since the Third High Level Forum on aid effectiveness (HLF-3) in Accra in 2008, and the preparations for HLF-4 being held in Busan later this year, this paper on China’s aid information was commissioned to provide a firmer footing for the discussions going forward. The purpose of this paper, therefore, is to map and assess the levels of aid information made available across Chinese agencies that engage in various forms of international cooperation. The paper explores opportunities to improve publicly available information on Chinese foreign assistance and how to ensure comparability with other donors.