Translation Tuesday: Guangzhou’s Public Security Bureau: Issues of Africans in Guangzhou are made to be bigger than they actually are; the crime rate of foreigners is not in fact high

By Zander Rounds

The following article is an attempt to mediate some of misunderstandings about Africans among many of the Chinese people, probably to alleviate some of the tensions that have arisen as a result. The timing of this article is notable, as it was released back when the police in Guangzhou were beginning to crack down on foreigners.
----Zander Rounds (Translator)

Africans are fond of living together; their number is not as many as imagined

There are 118,000 foreigners in Guangzhou, of which 16,000 are Africans. The crime rate of foreigners is not actually as high as city residents imagined… A few days ago, during an exclusive interview with Yangcheng Evening Paper, the Public Security of Exit-Entry Administrative Service Bureau of Guangzhou revealed the following information:

Translation Tuesday: No Translation Today

Due to exams and the impending holidays we will not be putting up a translation this week. We will have the next translation up next week we hope.

Translation Tuesday: Chinese Civil Airport Construction Accelerating in Africa

By Laiyin Yuan

Author: Qian Chunxian
Translator: Laiyin Yuan
Published on: 12/07/2014
Source: Xinhua News Agency
Original text (in Chinese): http://news.xinhuanet.com/fortune/2014-12/07/c_1113550648.htm

There is a Chinese saying: “if you want to get rich, build roads first.” Now, roads can also refer to airways, which are becoming increasingly important in the overall economic development of African countries. Chinese companies are undertaking many oversea airport construction projects, which will hopefully bring result in a true "win-win" outcome.
----Laiyin Yuan (Translator)

With the New Year looming, China's large-scale civil infrastructure construction strategy is focusing strong development initiatives through the idea of “stabilizing growth with airport construction.” On November 28, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) announced the approval notices for four infrastructure construction projects, including three new railway projects, such as the Beijing-Zhangjiakou railway's Badaling section, as well as the second phase of Lanzhou Airport expansion project. These projects' total investment  reached 51.01 billion yuan ($8.29 billion dollars).

Li Jiaxiang, the Director of the China Civil Aviation Administration, stated that the civil aviation industry could be rapidly incorporated into the regional economic and social development strategy, because it requires fewer investments but has quicker effects and better ability to drive overall development. According to World Trade Organization (WTO) statistics, civil aviation currently accounts for about 15% of total global transportation, but its added value can account for nearly 50% of the global total.

Translation Tuesday: Is China’s ideological influence in Africa good?

By Zander Rounds

Translator: Zander Rounds
Published on: 11/21/2014

Author: Tang Xiaoyang
Source: Carnegie-Tsinghua Center for Global Policy
Original event: http://carnegietsinghua.org/2014/11/21/china-africa-economic-cooperation-in-global-context/hu5w

The following Mandarin-language exchange between Tang Xiaoyang, a scholar of Africa-China economic relations, and an African audience member, occurred during the question and answer segment of "China-Africa Economic Cooperation in a Global Context," which hosted by the Carnegie-Tsinghua Center for Global Policy in Beijing. Substantively, Tang’s response to this question about China’s ideological influence in Africa is quite interesting. Note, for instance, that while the audience member frames his question in terms of the role of China as an influential external actor, Tang responds by shifting the focus entirely to the critical role of locals in “accepting” different ways of thinking. Also interesting are the strong liberal undertones of his advice for how nations should respond to globalization.
--- Zander Rounds (Translator)

Audience member:

Speaking as an African person, previously we had African ideas and then, due to the issue of colonialism, Western ideas came over and influenced us. Now, Chinese people are doing a lot for us, and as they do they also bring Chinese ideas. For example, when a Chinese leader says “its like this” then its just “like this” [meaning, he or she is not questioned]. Africa already has problems with democracy. And as a result of a number of important factors, our development has lagged behind. 

Do you think China’s ideological influence on Africa is positive? What are the benefits and harms that Chinese ways of thinking present for Africa’s development?

Tang Xiaoyang:

Do Chinese ways of thinking have a positive or negative influence in Africa? In fact, I think the ways of thinking that can actually be accepted are all those that Africans [already] can understand; and as such, the ways of thinking that produce results are all actually African’s own ways of thinking.

Translation Tuesday: Direct Flights Between China and Africa Spur the Development of Africa’s Tourism Industry

By Zander Rounds

Translator: Zander Rounds
Published on: 11/17/2014

Author: N/A
Source: International Business Daily
Original text (in Chinese via China Daily portal): http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/hqcj/xfly/2014-11-17/content_12727447.html

Direct Flights Between China and Africa Spur the Development of Africa’s Tourism Industry

By now, many Chinese industries have already entered the African market and gained positive momentum. Currently, China-Africa Cooperation is playing an increasingly important role in global economic development and Chinese-African investment and trade have already become an important part of Africa’s economic growth. Airlines in Egypt, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe and several other countries have opened up regular direct flights to Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Hangzhou.

The rapid development of China-Africa trade and personnel exchange provides an immense space for bilateral civil aviation cooperation. Over the past few years, the number of people traveling between China and Africa has on average increased at a rate of 15% per year, reaching around 1.5 million total trips. China has already formally signed inter-governmental aviation transit agreements with 17 African countries including Ethiopia, Angola, Tanzania, Zambia, South Africa and Nigeria.

“Presently, more than half of the tour groups that will travel to Africa before January of next year have already been collected.” Wang Le, from China Youth Travelers Online, described how from December to February, Africa’s climate is cozy – the average temperate is between around 10-20°C – really making it the golden period to sufficiently appreciate the local interests and charm. Africa’s tourist visas are distributed at a very high rate, so there is not need to worry about issues related to getting visa applications rejected and the processing time is probably between 7-10 days. Especially since the cost of traveling during the Spring Festival period fluctuates greatly, a lot of travelers are scrambling to go out and travel before the increase in prices of Spring Festival.

“Before, the large majority of South African tourism focused on group trips, but following with South African Airways’ establishment of a direct flight in 2012, more Chinese tourists can quickly and easily fly nonstop to South Africa. Travelers that understand English and appreciate more freedom are increasingly welcoming trips like this, booked independently through overseas market services.” According to Wang Le’s introduction, previously when traveling in between Johannesburg – considered to be the center of South Africa and its biggest city – travelers needed stop in Hong Kong, Singapore, Dubai, etc. and change planes. As a result the journey would take at least 20 hours. Since the direct flight has been opened, the entire flight is approximately 15 hours without a stop in between, not only curtailing the flight time but also avoiding the anxiety and inconvenience of transferring. In addition, by traveling through the aviation hub of Johannesburg, travelers can conveniently transfer planes to continue on to more than 20 destinations on the African continent, as well as destinations in North and South America.

“This year, China’s tourist entry and exit trade deficit has already broken US$100 billion.” China Tourism Institute’s president Dai Bin stated that along with China’s economic development, the demand by consumers to “go out of the county’s gate” is increasingly intense. As World Tourism Organization’s statistics illustrate, China’s 1 million outbound tourist trips in 2013 established it as the world’s biggest origin for tourists. At the same time, China’s tourist spending abroad was $102 billion, surpassing America and Germany to become number one in the world. 10 years ago, China’s tourism spending abroad accounted for 1% of the global total. By 2023 this percentage will increase to 20%

The mysterious ancient Egyptian civilization, the mystical East African savannas—these places continually attract many of those fond of exploring and hunting for nature. Along with China’s economic growth, China’s outbound tourist market has already expanded beyond the original South East Asian destinations to a vast range of destinations including Australia, Singapore, Europe and Africa. Among these destinations, Africa, due to its distinctive cultural charm, elegant natural environment and steadily improving infrastructure, is becoming a popular Chinese tourist destination.

About People’s Daily Online (http://ibd.shangbao.net.cn/)
Published by China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM), the International Business Daily (IBD) focuses on China’s business and finance.

Translation Tuesday: Why Is China Always Accused on the Ivory Issue?

By Joseph Webster and Laiyin Yuan

Translator: Joseph Webster and Laiyin Yuan
Published on: N/A

Author: N/A
Source: N/A
Original text (in Chinese): N/A

Members of the official Chinese delegation to Tanzania in 2013 used President Xi’s presidential plane and diplomatic pouches to illegally smuggle ivory from Tanzania to China, according to an explosive report from the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), a British NGO. The EIA “is an independent campaigning organization committed to bringing about change that protects the natural world from environmental crime and abuse.” The EIA’s report on the illegal elephant trade in Tanzania, called “Vanishing Point,” can be found here.

The following article is a translated response to the EIA report. It is not an official media response. As of this writing, it appears that the Chinese and English language editions of Xinhua, the Global Times, or China Daily have not published an article about the EIA report, despite – or perhaps because of – its potentially harmful influence on Africa-China relations and its unsettling implications about the Chinese leadership’s adherence to its own laws. 

--- Joseph Webster and Laiyin Yuan (Translators)

Why Is China Always Accused on the Ivory Issue?

Does the continuous China-bashing on the ivory issue provide any benefit for solving the poaching problem?

During the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) conference, an article without credible evidence attracted great attention and mass reprinting from the Western media. The article is about a piece of news that was written 20 months ago with the sensational title “Chinese Presidential Delegation smuggles ivory.” This article has nothing to do with the ivory trade itself. This article is nothing but another Western media’s attempt to witch-hunt and sneer at China.

Translation Tuesday: China’s assistance to Africa is both “Brotherly Loyalty” and an international responsibility

By Zander Rounds

Translator: Zander Rounds
Published on: 10/27/2014

Author: Zhou Fei
Source: Huanqiu.com
Original text (in Chinese): http://mil.huanqiu.com/observation/2014-10/5180243.html

Based on years of conversations with friends, classmates and outspoken taxi drivers in China, it is clear that international aid is a bit of a hard sell here. In following article, the author Zhou Fei directly addresses a common criticism of international assistance: namely, if we still have so many domestic problems, why should we be sending money to far away places? In response, Zhou draws on both realist and constructivist logic: China must provide assistance due to both realist calculations of self-interest (helping others in order to help us) and the normative imperatives of brotherly loyalty and international responsibility. (In my opinion, the mixing of these weakens his argumentation). As China’s role in the world evolves, it is important to track how it presents itself not just to the outside world (here is a link to a piece by the same author on a similar subject) but to a domestic audience.

--- Zander Rounds (Translator)

Helping ourselves by helping Africa

Over the past few months, China has urgently assisted African countries battle Ebola through a series of efforts, including shipping supplies, dispatched experts and building labs. In doing so, China has become the world’s “forerunner” in fighting the disease, winning a bunch of praise in Africa and internationally.

Domestically, some people do not quite understand China’s African assistance policies: “The Guangzhou Dengue fever is still wreaking havoc, why are we running far away to go help Africa?” While this type of thinking may seem reasonable, it in fact is incomplete. Limited Epidemics have no borders—during this round of the Ebola’s violent “terrorist attack”, any one country would have difficulty protecting itself. The appearance of those afflicted by the disease in America and Spain are a testament to this.

China, Zambia, and Sata: An overview

What does the unfortunate death of President Michael Sata, who passed away on Wednesday October 29 due to an undisclosed illness, mean for the China-Zambia relationship? Host Winslow Robertson asked Ms. Hannah Postel on the pod to help enlighten him. Ms. Postel, a graduate of Middlebury College who specializes in economic development, migration, and overseas Chinese communities, just returned to D.C. from her time as 2013-2014 Fulbright Scholar in Zambia and wants to share her reflections of President Sata.

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Translation Tuesday: “Sports and Peace: the Perspectives of China and Africa” Seminar Held at China Foreign Affairs University

By Laiyin Yuan

Translator: Laiyin Yuan
Published on: 11/01/2014
Source: Xinhua News Agency
Original text (in Chinese): http://news.xinhuanet.com/sports/2014-11/02/c_127168295.htm

From the Asian Games, the Olympics, to the Youth Olympic Games, China has been attracting global attention with grand sports events. Sports also allows for grand diplomatic relationships. Can the path for “Ping Pong Diplomacy”¹ that once worked for re-establishing China-U.S. relations work again for a more profound China-Africa friendship? Recently, diplomats and scholars from both sides had a wide-ranging discussion regarding this topic.
---- Laiyin Yuan (Translator)

On November 1, the “Sports and Peace: the Perspectives of China and Africa” seminar was held at the Shahe campus of China Foreign Affairs University (CFAU), with many African diplomats and the university leaders participating in the discussions.

Why you should go to Morocco with Liang Zhang

The Africa-China relationship is pretty smooth when you have the Export-Import Bank of China or the China Development Bank throwing billions of dollars in your direction. However, not everyone involved in the relationship is so lucky. In this episode, host Winslow Robertson speaks to an individual Chinese entrepreneur, Liang Zhang, who is a travel consultant, bringing small Chinese tour groups to Morocco to experience the country and its culture. We discuss how he got started, why he chose Morocco, and why everyone should visit the country. If you want to learn more about a different side of the China-Africa relationship, please listen!

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Ask not what Africa can do for you, but what you can do for Africa

Former President of Tanzania Benjamin Mkapa was recently at Zhejiang Normal University’s Institute of African Studies and the China-Africa Business College. He delivered a lecture, titled “Unscrambling Africa in the New Millennium,” that was attended by an American Fullbright scholar Zander Rounds. Rounds wrote about that speech on his blog "Bridging the Great Wall: A research blog on African students in China" and we found his analysis fascinating and asked him to share his experiences.

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Ask not what foreign nations are doing for Africa... by Zander Rounds

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Translation Tuesday: Chinese enterprises aid the repair of a Kenya Country Road

By Joseph Webster

Author: Dengyao Min
Translator: Joseph Webster
Published on: 10/27/2014
Source: Xinhua News Agency
Original text (in Chinese): http://news.xinhuanet.com/2014-10/28/c_1113001848.htm

China Road and Bridge Corporation is constructing a road in Kajiado County, Kenya. According to the article, 4,000 Kenyans have already been hired, and over 30,000 “local employees” will be employed in the project. It is unclear if there is a distinction between Kenyans and local employees. The article is reflective of the many stakeholders that Chinese investment in Africa must satisfy. Chinese investment must appear to benefit Africans – which it often does, of course – but it must also placate domestic audiences who may be concerned that State Owned Enterprises (SOEs) are funneling capital abroad and reducing employment at home. The Xinhua article stresses the benefits to the local population. On the other hand, the article also notes that “except for the local government providing soil sources, building materials, equipment, and labor were provided by the Chinese side.” Domestic political constraints on foreign investment are hardly unique to China, of course. Free trade is not necessarily zero-sum, but both winners and losers emerge from it. Chinese investment in Africa must placate both African stakeholders as well as the Chinese domestic audience. 
--- Joseph Webster (Translator)

"Before, this road was rotten with potholes and driving was very difficult. Now the pavement is smooth, saving time and fuel. I am grateful to the road repair men," a Kenyan truck driver named Brown said. Brown is stationed in southeastern Kenya, in the Mashuru district of Kajiado County. China Road and Bridge Corporation is responsible for the renovation of this rural road. For Brown and residents along the road, this is their "livelihood road", but bad road conditions have led them to feel helpless.

Translation Tuesday: Chinese Tourists Vacation in South Africa: Ebola Threatens African Tourism

By Laiyin Yuan

Author: Zhang Jiexian, Wei Dongze
Translator: Laiyin Yuan
Published on: 10/05/2014
Source: People’s Daily Online
Original text (in Chinese): http://world.people.com.cn/n/2014/1006/c1002-25780376.html

The Ebola outbreak is not only causing tremendous economic losses to West African countries, but also unfortunately damaging the overall security and development of the entire continent. For many Chinese, Africa may be far away, but the danger of Ebola is ever-present. Even though there is no confirmed case of the disease in China, Chinese policymakers are staying vigilant.
---Laiyin Yuan

Many Chinese tourists gather near the former presidential palace in
Pretoria, South Africa, but during this year's National Day holiday
those numbers were slightly down.
Photo by People's Daily's Zhang Jiexian

The National Day holiday in the first week of October is the peak time for Chinese traveling overseas with their families. Although it is not the best season to go to Africa, many Chinese are still willing to experience the wild African savanna after their previous journeys to Asian and European countries. Thus South Africa, the transportation hub located in southern Africa, has becomes the foothold for many Chinese tour groups.

Translation Tuesday: An Overseas Chinese Company Constructs the New Century's Longest Railway

By Joseph Webster

Author: Fan Xi, Pang Shuguang
Translator: Joseph Webster
Published on: 08/13/2014
Source: Xinhua News Agency
Original text (in Chinese): http://news.xinhuanet.com/fortune/2014-08/13/c_1112064589.htm 

According to Xinhua the new Benguela railroad will: “greatly reduce the cost of exporting copper and other natural resources in Southern Africa. Through integration with the railway networks in Namibia, Malawi, Mozambique and other neighboring countries, Southern African regional rail interoperability will be achieved, thus forming a large international railway passage between the Atlantic and Indian Ocean that will promote regional economic development.” The article notes that technology transfer and local jobs will increase as a result of railway construction, but also stresses that the construction standards and operating materials were supplied by Chinese companies.
--- Joseph Webster (translator)

Reporters were informed by the China Railway Construction Corporation Limited that, after the Tanzania-Zambia Railway was built in the 1970s with Chinese aid, our country will construct the world’s longest transcontinental overseas railroad of the new century. The Benguela rail line will cross the whole territory of Angola, will be completed on August 13, and it will be officially open for operation within the year.

Training as if China isn’t a Country

By Hannah Ryder, Deputy Country Director, United Nations Development Program China


One continent, many countries: Credit: 玖巧仔, 2009

Africa isn’t a country.

It’s an obvious statement but a while back, even American Vice President Joe Bidden forgot it when he said: “There's no reason the nation of Africa cannot and should not join the ranks of the world's most prosperous nations”.

Having worked in development for over ten years now, I think recognizing the wealth of diversity across the African continent - different languages, cultures, economics – is key. There is no way you can understand the different problems facing the continent – and required solutions – unless you recognize its wealth of diversity.

But working in China I now have the complete opposite problem: I now have to remind myself that while China is indeed a country, its scale and experience is not like that of any other country.

China is almost a continent.

Translation Tuesday: Taking the Pulse of Non-Acclimated Chinese Companies in Africa

By Laiyin Yuan

Author: Gui Tao
Translator: Laiyin Yuan
Published on: 09/28/2014
Source: Xinhua News Agency
Original text (in Chinese): http://news.xinhuanet.com/fortune/2014-09/28/c_1112658554.htm

“Chinese always stay together like mercury, while Westerners spread everywhere like water.” In some circles, this is an accurate description for Chinese companies and their Chinese employees in Africa. Self-isolation, lack of effective communication with locals, ignorance of labor laws and regulations, weak awareness of social responsibility, and exhausting internal competitions among peers… these are all the “growing pains” that Chinese enterprises are going through as they look to create jobs and transfer technology for Africa’s economic development.

On September 27, in the “Chinese Enterprises’ Localization in Africa and China’s Africa Strategy Seminar” jointly held by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) Institute of World History and the Center for African Studies of Peking University (PKUCAS), many experts, corporate leaders, and representatives of overseas Chinese in Africa looked for “prescriptions” to improve Chinese company localization in African countries.

The attendees believed that, although Chinese state-owned, private, and individual enterprises have all contributed tremendously to a mutually beneficial and win-win cooperation between China and Africa, some of these organizations have left a rather negative impression among host countries due to Africans’ increasing awareness of autonomous development, biased reporting on part of Western media, their own problems, and more.

What visa denial? The Dalai Lama and South Africa

The Dalai Lama was recently supposed to visit the 14th World Peace Summit, to be held in South Africa, yet his visa to the country was, for all practical purposes, denied. Dr. Ross Anthony looked at the issue on the Center for Chinese Studies' Commentary: "China, South Africa and the Dalai Lama: costs and benefits" and host Winslow Robertson invited him on the pod to discuss the Dalai Lama's relationship with South Africa in-depth. If you want to learn more about the Dalai Lama Debacle, which The Daily Maverick dubbed the incident, please listen to this episode!

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Translation Tuesday: Chinese Martial Arts Seminars Ignite African Passions

By Laiyin Yuan

Author: Yang Kaiqi, Hao Shuang
Translator: Laiyin Yuan
Published on: 08/25/2014
Source: China News Service (CNS)
Original text (in Chinese): http://www.chinanews.com/hr/2014/08-25/6527281.shtml

Chinese martial arts have always been an important component of Chinese soft power. Their popularity in Africa provides African peoples with a better understanding about Chinese traditional culture.
---- Laiyin Yuan (translator)

“With the integration of seminars and performances, the ‘Cultures of China – Lectures of Masters’ series offers a new way to spread Chinese martial arts culture.” Li Hui, deputy director of the Henan Provincial Martial Arts Management Center, was very impressed by the enthusiasm of her African audience as she delivered three lectures in their respective countries.

In mid-August, many famous Chinese martial arts masters went to South Africa, Botswana, and Mauritius with the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council’s “Cultures of China – Lectures of Masters” delegation, and provided wonderful kung fu seminars and live demonstrations for the locals. Among the delegation was Chen Zhenglei, one of the first state-level Intangible Cultural Heritage[1] inheritors of the Chen-style tai chi, and also Jiao Hongmin, President of the Henan Shaolin Martial Arts Academy. This was the first time that martial arts was a series theme since its initial launch in 2007.

China's Peace Corps?!?!

China has a little-known program equivalent to the U.S. Peace Corps: the unofficially titled Chinese Youth Volunteers in Africa. Wendy Wang, a Business Development and Communications Officer with China House, explained this program to host Winslow Robertson. If you want to know about this program, how it is administered, how the volunteers are recruited, how it is funded, and more, please listen to this episode!

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Translation Tuesday: Hunan invites companies to invest in South Africa

By Joseph Webster

Author: Zhou Yuegui
Translator: Joseph Webster
Published on: 09/22/2014
Source: Hunan Daily
Original text (in Chinese): http://epaper.voc.com.cn/hnrb/html/2014-09/22/content_882276.htm?div=-1

On September 19, the South African Embassy in China and the Provincial Business Council Changsha conducted a public hearing “Hunan Province and South Africa Economic Cooperation and Investment Opportunities Summit.” South Africa's ambassador Langa and his party introduced the country's investment environment and opportunities, and cordially invited Hunan businesses to invest in South Africa.

Hunan and South Africa's trade relationship has steadily developed in recent years. According to the Department of Commerce's statistics, in the year 2013, Hunan and South Africa imports and exports totaled $22.3 billion which was an increase of 40.0 percent and accounted for one tenth of the province’s total imports and exports. Through August of this year, Hunan’s Department of Commerce had approved six companies to invest in South Africa, with investment contracts from the Chinese side totaling $15.88 million.　　

A Department of Commerce official stated that the South African and Hunan economies are highly complementary, with much room for further cooperation. On the one hand, South Africa is wealthy in mineral resources, possibly providing the iron, manganese ore and other mineral resources that Hunan needs. On the other hand, Hunan’s engineering machinery, automobile manufacturing, and other advantages in products and technological services are in high demand in South Africa.

The South African embassy's Political and Economic attache Gcoyi explained that South Africa had established Chinese-style Special Economic Zones, set up many industrial parks, assembled new energy sources, manufactured cars, produced jewelry, and other services. To firms operating in the industrial parks, the South Africa government gives preferential treatment with regard to finance, taxes, production equipment, customs, and other related policies. Hopefully, in cooperation with Hunan, new breakthroughs will be achieved in South Africa's developing industries such as new energy, car manufacturing.

Ask not what foreign nations are doing for Africa…

By Zander Rounds, Fulbright Scholar, Zhejiang Normal University

 …but what Africa is doing for foreign nations: Tanzanian President Mkapa on the future of Africa’s relations with the world

Yesterday, I had the privilege of attending a lecture by former President of Tanzinia, Benjamin Mkapa, hosted by Zhejiang Normal University’s Institute of African Studies and the China-Africa Business College. President Mkapa delivered his speech, titled “Unscrambling Africa in the New Millennium” (在新千年实现非洲的自主发展), to a large conference room packed full with African and Chinese students, professors and perhaps three Americans (myself included).

Of Interest 09/15 - 09/21

09/15 - 09/21 2014 SADC: Do not forget about the UN Climate Summit

• 12 more Ugandans facing death in China - Simon Masaba, New Vision, September 6, 2014: "The conviction and sentencing of more Ugandans to death by hanging, was confirmed by the Interpol chief, Asan Kasingye, in an interview with New Vision this week. In July this year, the Chinese authorities executed two Ugandans — Omar Ddamulira and Ham Andrew Ngobi over drug trafficking. Kasingye identified the Ugandans recently sentenced to death in China as Joseph Kiberu Mulindwa, Sara Basima, Alex Kayiwa, Benjamin Bisuka, Derrick Kiryowa, Willy Musoke, Ambrose Tsimi, Scovia Nakintu, John Luke Wasonye, Peter Wamoka and Geoffrey Ogwal. There was no information yet about their next of kin in Uganda. Kasingye also said the list recently received from Interpol on Ugandans convicted abroad also includes a number of people serving long prison sentences in China, Japan and Kenya."
• How Africa's first education tablet computer was created - Tamasin Ford, BBC News, September 15, 2014: "At the moment the tablets are all made and assembled in China, but Qelasy's vision includes setting up a factory in Ivory Coast. 'It's our dream,' says the entrepreneur. 'I'm passionate about education because I would like our country, our continent to take the place that it should have in the world and without education it's not possible.'"
• Fourteen Nobel laureates urge Zuma to give Dalai Lama visa - The Citizen, September 16, 2014: "The Dalai Lama was to attend a summit of Nobel peace prize winners in Cape Town next month, the first-ever meeting of its kind in Africa. But, according to an aide, he cancelled after Pretoria denied him a visa in a bid to avoid angering China, which regards the Buddhist monk as a campaigner for Tibetan independence. 'We are deeply concerned about the damage that will be done to South Africa’s international image by a refusal – or failure – to grant him a visa yet again,' the group said in a letter to President Jacob Zuma. Signatories include Poland’s Lech Walesa, Bangladeshi entrepreneur Muhammad Yunus, Iranian lawyer Shirin Ebadi, Liberian activist Leymah Gbowee and Northern Irish peacemakers David Trimble and John Hume. The Dalai Lama has applied three times in the last five years to visit the country once led by Nelson Mandela."
• Better local price challenges Ethiopia’s shoes export - Andualem Sisay Gessesse, The EastAfrican, September 16, 2014: "Chinese shoe manufacturing company Huajian, which has its own shoe city in China, is currently producing 2,000 pairs of shoes every day in Ethiopia. At about $40 per month, the cost of labour in Ethiopia is 10 times less than that in China, which stands at about $400.Huajian recently secured 138 hectares of land in Ethiopia where it plans to establish its own industrial zone at a cost of about $2.2 billion. Foreign shoe factories like Huajian with an international marketing network are expected to boost Ethiopia’s foreign currency from the sector but the question begs: For how long will foreign brands dominate the industry?"
• Chinese man arrives in Namibia on bicycle - New Era Newspaper, September 17, 2014: "Yesterday, traffic almost came to a virtual standstill in the northern part of Windhoek when an uncommon heavily loaded bicycle, paddled by a Chinese rider, strolled along the outstretched Mandume Ndemufayo Avenue. Our team spotted the unusual attraction and resolved to have a word with the leg-weary but friendly, courageous cyclist. Li Jianbo, 29 is a man on a serious mission to have his name engraved in full print in the famous Guinness Book of Records. He cycled from his native China to Namibia through a journey that took 14-months through the African jungle, arriving in Katima Mulilo in July this year en route to the Mother City in South Africa."
• How Much Can China Offer in Africa’s Ebola Crisis? - Yanzhong Huang, Asia Unbound | Council on Foreign Relations, September 18, 2014: "In short, China cannot become Africa’s savior in the current crisis. There is no evidence that Chinese leaders actually buy into the fantasy created by the state media. They might be convinced that allowing the latter to keep up the pretense helps spread soft power in Africa. But as Joseph Nye of Harvard University noted, soft power depends on credibility. By exaggerating its contributions to the Ebola outbreak, the state media is undermining China’s humanitarian efforts in Africa as well as its image internationally."
• For Poor Countries, China Is No Model - Dambisa Moyo, The Wall Street Journal, Sept. 19, 2014: "Other rising powers are eager to emulate China's success and pursue statist policies that can quickly deliver a short-term jolt. Under state capitalism, China has delivered phenomenal growth, brought hundreds of millions out of poverty, bulked up infrastructure and delivered social services. Moreover, as autocratic China has surged, democracy and capitalism have suffered a series of setbacks that make them less tempting options. These range from high levels of income inequality in the U.S. to the rise of governments in Russia, Venezuela and elsewhere that are nominally democratic but sharply limit free speech and the rule of law."
• Fronteir Advisories hosted the China Africa Business Forum - SABC Digital News, Sep 19, 2014: "Fronteir Advisories hosted the China Africa Business Forum in Johannesburg on Friday - bringing together leading decision makers from Chinese and African companies. It notes that China's engagement of Africa has been the leading megatrend over the last decade. China is now the single largest trading partner of Africa, the largest financier of infrastructure and the largest lender to African governments."

5 takeaways from the ‘China & Development in Africa’ panel

On September 18, 2014, AfricanDevJobs and Cowries and Rice co-hosted a panel discussion entitled “China & Development in Africa: What China’s Engagement with Africa Means for the Development Sector & Professionals” held at Impact Hub in Washington, D.C.

The panel, moderated by Jackson M’vunganyi, host of Voice of America’s Upfront Africa, featured speakers who spoke about the intersection of development and the China-Africa relationship. They included Ambassador David Shinn, co-author of China and Africa: A Century of Engagement and Professorial Lecturer at the Elliott School of International Affairs at The George Washington University, Kelley Page Jibrell, Global Strategy Consultant and lecturer of International Business at Howard University, and Jyhjong Hwang, Research Assistant at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies’ China Africa Research Initiative. All of the panelists provided different perspectives on the growing involvement of China in Africa – a relationship that has major implications for not only Africa but the entire world.

The Chinese Aid White Paper: Beyond the Numbers (2/2)

Host Winslow Robertson continues his discussion with Ms. Marina Rudyak and Mr. Christian Straube on the Chinese white paper on foreign aid, released on July 10 of this. If you want to find out if Hu Jintao might be purged soon based on a VERY close reading of this document, or if you want to know more about the often opaque world of Chinese aid, this episode is for you!

Recommendations

• Marina Rudyak
• 对外援助管理办法（草案） by Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China
• Capital Spirits Bar and Distillery Beijing
• Christian Straube
• Digital Archive for Chinese Studies by Heidelberg University
• Analysis of a social situation in modern Zululand by Max Gluckman

Brought to you by:

African Development Jobs

Mighty Mike

Producer:

Eliana Goldsher

The Same, but Different

By Hannah Ryder, Deputy Country Director, United Nations Development Program China



How to get a McDonalds in Beijing?  Get on a bike!
Credit: Augapfel, 2007

I’m entering into my fourth week here in Beijing, and one of the experiments I tried last weekend was to order a takeaway. I was tired from a very hectic week of meetings – that was my excuse anyway! But it turns out the process of getting a takeaway in Beijing is quite different from getting a takeaway in London or Nairobi – two other big cities I’ve lived in. In London or Nairobi in order to get a takeaway you usually need to phone the restaurant directly, and if they don’t offer a takeaway service then you either have to collect the food yourself or you have to try another restaurant. In contrast, here in Beijing, restaurants don’t generally offer takeaway services themselves. Instead, customers need to phone – and pay – a special company set up simply for the purpose of takeaway to pick up the order and deliver it to your home. That’s right in the language of economists Chinese restaurants effectively “outsource” their takeaway services.

Translation Tuesday: Chinese Medical Teams: 51 Years in Africa

By Laiyin Yuan

Author: Yang Zhenglian, Guo Linghe
Translator: Laiyin Yuan
Published on: 08/24/2014
Source: Guangming Daily
Original text (in Chinese): http://news.gmw.cn/2014-08/24/content_12734600.htm
Excerpt from (in Chinese): http://www.chinanews.com/gj/2012/04-20/3834799.shtml

In order to control the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, China recently sent out two teams of medical experts to Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and other countries to help improve local health capacity. Since the first Chinese medical teams sent to Africa in 1963, Chinese doctors who work in foreign lands have always maintained visibility. For 51 years, these respected, wonderful people travelled across land and sea, and treating many patients in 51 African countries. Healthcare has no borders, and love has no boundaries. These Chinese medical teams not only brought health to receiving countries, but also left extremely positive impressions of the Chinese nation.
--- Laiyin Yuan (translator)

A member of a Chinese medical team is teaching local doctors acupuncture. The teams promote Chinese traditional medical techniques to the outside world while providing treatment, and leave behind a tremendous healthcare legacy after they go back to China. 

The Chinese Aid White Paper: Beyond the Numbers (1/2)

The latest Chinese white paper on foreign aid was released on July 10. Looking at Chinese foreign assistance from 2010 to 2012, the paper reveals that China has given a cumulative total of $14.4 billion, half of which went to Africa. To get some more context on the white paper itself as well as the rhetoric behind the white paper, host Winslow Robertson asked Ms. Marina Rudyak and Mr. Christian Straube to come on the pod. Ms. Rudyak holds an M.A. in Modern and Classical Chinese Studies and Public Law from the University of Heidelberg. After graduating in 2009 with a thesis on the People’s Republic of China’s energy security policy in Central Asia she worked in the Beijing office of the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ). In April 2014, she re-joined the Institute of Chinese studies as an assistant to pursue her PhD on Chinese foreign aid and China’s role in international development. Christian Straube is a PhD candidate at the Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology, Germany. Mr. Straube runs the website http://www.christianstrau.be/ which looks at China's relations with copperbelt African countries. He also translates Chinese documents into English. They are lending their expertise to look carefully at the text of the white paper itself and its significance beyond the numbers.

Brought to you by:

African Development Jobs

Mighty Mike

Producer:

Eliana Goldsher

Effective Chinese Corporate Social Responsibility (2/2)

Part two of our discussion with Kenny Dong, a Master's student of Environmental Management at Kyoto University who is studying the environmental impact of Chinese companies in East Africa, has him explain his research regarding the Chinese Communications Construction Company in Kenya. If you want to learn more about Chinese environmental standards in Kenya, how Chinese financing mechanisms work, and how to even do this sort of research, please listen!

Recommendations

• Kenny Dong
• Chinese Development Aid in Africa: What, Where, Why, and How Much? by Deborah Brautigam

Brought to you by:

African Development Jobs

Mighty Mike

MOFCOM issues the draft "Measures for the Administration of Foreign Aid"

By Marina Rudyak

On April 18 2014, Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) of the People's Republic of China released on its webpage the "Measures for the Administration of Foreign Aid (Draft)" (对外援助管理办法（草案)).

Consisting of 51 articles, the Measures are the first comprehensive legal document with the character of a law to regulate Chinese government's foreign aid. Interestingly, following a practice already applied in preparation to the last Five Year Plan, MOFCOM was seeking comments and suggestions from the Chinese public. A reason for this might be the report by the Central Inspection Group (中央巡视组) which earlier this year stated that there is a big potential for corruption in China's foreign aid system, and violations among Chinese companies which implement Chinese aid are severe.

The Measures include provisions on aid policy planning, aid funds, aid modes, forms of aid projects, initiation, implementation and management of aid projects, management of foreign aid personnel and legal responsibilities. They do not cover humanitarian emergency relief and military aid.
For those following the transparency of Chinese development finance flows, Article 8 might be of special interest: it stipulates that MOFCOM shall set up a foreign aid statistics system ( 商务部建立中国政府对外援助统计制度，收集、汇总和编制对外援助统计资料).

There is also a new emphasis on impact and aid effectiveness (Chapter 6). This is something that hasn't been present in such an explicit way in previous aid-related legal documents like the two White Papers (2011 and 2014) or implementation guidelines for specific kinds of projects. Before initiating new projects, MOFCOM shall conduct feasibility studies and assess policy conformity, technical feasibility and the use of funds. This might hint to a learning process within the Chinese aid system and a silent rapprochement to some of the OECD DAC aid standards.

It remains clear, however, that the "Eight Principles of Foreign Aid" (1963) and the "Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence" (1954) are still valid, especially when it comes to aspect which is criticized in the Western development discourse on China: the mutual non-interference on domestic affairs (Article 5) ( 互不干涉内政 ).

The Measures, at least for the moment, give end to the speculations on whether the Chinese government might transfer foreign aid to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or create a specialized aid ministry or aid agency: according to Article 6,

MOFCOM is the designated body to implement foreign aid on behalf of the Chinese government. When the number provided on BBC Chinese Edition website are true, this is not surprising: 82% (21,1 Mrd. RMB) of MOFCOM's overall budget for 2014 (25,7 Mrd. RMB) are funds allocated for foreign aid. In a way, citing Chinese netizens, one could say that MOFCOM has already become the Aid Ministry.

So far, it is not clear whether the Measures are already effective and there is a possibility that their might be still some changes after the autumn party congress.

If you're interested in the detailed text, enjoy the translation I did for my research. Feel free to use and quote it for your work - but I would appreciate it if you would cite where it came from.
(And, also, if you have any suggestions for a better translation, please don't hesitate to write me).

This post first appeared on the China Aid Blog, Marina Rudyak’s exciting new blog that looks at China's internal debates on foreign aid.

Translation Tuesday: Chinese “Science Geek” Living in Guangzhou’s African Community for Authentic Photo Shoots

By Laiyin Yuan

Author: He Weijie
Translator: Laiyin Yuan
Published on: 07/16/2014
Source: Yangcheng Evening News
Original text (in Chinese): http://www.ycwb.com/ePaper/ycwb/html/2014-07/16/content_495254.htm?div=-1

Born in the 1960s, Li Dong has many titles to be proud of, such as that of “science geek,” as he graduated from a prestigious university, served as a corporate senior executive, was a successful entrepreneur, and more. However, with his camera in hand, he left his job two years ago and moved to the largest African community in Guangzhou: Baohan Zhijie in Yuexiu District. From initial “vigilance” to final “understanding,” he became a good friend of his African interlocutors and documented their lives in Guangzhou with his camera.
--- Laiyin Yuan (translator)

From “Science Geek” to Photographer

Baohan Zhijie, which is located near Xiatang West Road in Yuexiu District, is both familiar and strange to many Guangzhou citizens. Starting around 2002, more and more African merchants moved to Guangzhou for international business. From their perspective, the market in mainland China, especially in Guangzhou, is more bountiful than those in Southeast Asian or Hong Kong.

Gradually becoming “little Africa,” the Baohan Zhijie community made many local residents “keep a respectful distance” because of cultural differences and misunderstandings.

Effective Chinese Corporate Social Responsibility (1/2)

So what does Chinese Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) look like in Africa? Host Winslow Robertson asked Kenny Dong, a Master's student of Environmental Management at Kyoto University who is studying the environmental impact of Chinese companies in East Africa, to share his research. If you want to know some concrete CSR projects being done by Chinese companies, listen to part one of this podcast.

Brought to you by:

African Development Jobs

Mighty Mike

Translation Tuesday: Africa: China’s Second Continent

By Luwen Song, Laiyin Yuan, and Albert Zhu

Author: Xing Wei
Translator: Luwen Song, Laiyin Yuan, and Albert Zhu
Published on: 08/04/2014
Source: Dongfang Daily
Original text (in Chinese): http://www.dfdaily.com/html/51/2014/8/4/1172805.shtml

After intermittent phone contact for several days, Howard W. French and Hao Shengli finally met.

This scene could never happen a decade ago: an America journalist meeting with a Henanese farmer, not in Washington D.C., New York, Beijing, or Zhengzhou (the capital of Henan Province), but in an African city faraway from both China and the United States – Maputo, the capital of Mozambique.

Hao was barking into his cell phone when his white chauffeur-driven, late-model Toyota pickup pulled up in front of my hotel. It was clear that he was in a hurry and angry. There was a brisk handshake, followed by a lot more shouting in salty Chinese as he struggled to make himself understood to a countryman whom I could grasp he wanted to buy goods from.

"'China is a big, fucking mess with all of its fucking dialects,' the shaven-headed, stocky Hao, in his late fifties, said as he hung up.
As I stood there with my bags, already sweating in the mid-morning heat, Hao’s frustration caused him to train abuse on John, his tall and sinewy Mozambican driver, who had been coolly smoking a cigarette while he rearranged the supplies loaded onto the Toyota’s flatbed.
'You, cabeça não bom, motherfucker,' he said, the curse word coming in Chinese, as the grizzled immigrant farmer angrily employed three languages in one short and brutal sentence…”

With these vivid descriptions, French’s new book China’s Second Continent – How a Million Migrants are Building a New Empire in Africa focuses on the at least one million Chinese living in Africa, embodied by Hao Shengli, who in most cases come to Africa voluntarily, rather than sent by the Chinese government.

Translation Tuesday: China’s Follow-Up Strategy for the Prospective African Free Trade Zone

By Laiyin Yuan

Author: Shao Zhiyuan
Translator: Laiyin Yuan
Published on: 08/18/2014
Source: China Industrial Economy News
Original text (in Chinese): http://www.cien.com.cn/html/report/14081882-1.htm

A strong and united Africa has always been a dream for many Africans, and the upcoming African Free Trade Zone would be a milestone for its regional integration. However, how would it influence African countries and their Chinese investors? Would Africa still be a “fairytale land” for Chinese companies under a multilateral economic framework? The Chinese say: of course there would be risks, but we should focus more on potential opportunities.
--- Laiyin Yuan (translator)

On August 16, Stergomena Lawrence Tax, executive secretary of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), said that if everything goes well, the African Free Trade Zone (AFTZ) will be established in 2015, a year earlier than originally planned.

Meanwhile, on August 17 and 18 the 34th SADC Summit was also held in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. During the conference, national leaders from 15 member countries discussed SADC’s economic restructuring strategy with the AFTZ-related negotiations in particular.

Forecasting: Why stories of China teaming up with the U.S. over Inga-3 are overblown

A lot of hay was made during the U.S.-Africa Summit about China possibly teaming up with the U.S. over the Inga-3 dam. I was quite unhappy with the quality of this coverage, as anyone could find out that this very project has been in the works for months with a quick Google search (this is the first thing that popped up for me), making this announcement not particularly newsworthy. I have a sneaking suspicion that, since the initial consortium of Chinese companies who will probably win the bid are SOEs with good relations with China's EXIM bank, and that Sicomines looks to be moving ahead in the DRC, and that Sinohydro is involved with both projects, that this is a public relations move by Chinese officials to lock in a certain amount of U.S. financing and construction and threaten the dam project with shutdown if the IMF looks to renegotiate Sicomines again. It also made China look particularly magnanimous during the summit while Chinese-language outlets were slamming the entire concept. Considering some of the rumored reasons why the Inga 3 collaboration shut down last time (happy to tell you in private), I am quite skeptical of the viability of this project.

Translation Tuesday: Tecno, the Chinese Cellphone Manufacturer That Only Does Business in Africa

By Laiyin Yuan

Author: Li Kunkun
Translator: Laiyin Yuan
Published on: 07/18/2014
Source: African Business Insider
Original text (in Chinese): http://www.abitimes.com/portal.php?mod=view&aid=139

This is a story about a “unique” Chinese cellphone manufacturer that is obscure in China, but not so low-profile in Africa. As popular as Samsung or Nokia are among African consumers, Chinese brand Tecno is equally popular and it represents the strength of Chinese companies in regards to localization, brand building, and distribution-channel expansion. How can a Chinese company only do business in Africa, and how was Tecno so successful? Maybe this report can provide some answers.
- Laiyin Yuan (translator)

Last month, one of my British friends, Emma, wanted to buy a cellphone in Lira, a town in northern Uganda, to replace the Nokia phone she brought with her from England. While we were chatting, she asked me about the brand Tecno: “I saw Tecno phones in many Lira stores, and I heard that it was a Chinese brand. You must have heard of it.” However, the truth is I have never came across this brand before coming to Africa. When I told her that Tecno phones are never actually sold in China, Emma was very surprised: “I thought Tecno was a popular brand in China!”

Deborah Brautigam and the SAIS China Africa Research Initiative

If you are listening to this podcast, you are no doubt well-acquainted with the research of Prof. Deborah Brautigam, having read The Dragon's Gift: The Real Story of China in Africa or her wonderful blog China in Africa: The Real Story. However, did you know that Prof. Brautigam has started a new, exciting Sino-Africa research initiative? On today's episode, host Winslow Robertson asks Prof. Brautigam about the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) China Africa Research Initiative (CARI), which recently held its inaugural public conference: China’s Agricultural Investment in Africa: ‘Land Grabs’ or ‘Friendship Farms’? If you want to know what one of the top scholars in the Sino-Africa field is up to, or where the field is headed, you owe it to yourself to listen to this episode!

Brought to you by:

African Development Jobs

Mighty Mike

Migration and Imperialism in the Sino-Africa relationship (2/2)

Host Winslow Robertson continues his discussion of the excellent China's Second Continent: How a Million Migrants Are Building a New Empire in Africa with its author, Prof. Howard W. French  French is associate professor at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, where he teaches reporting, writing, and a spring seminar each year on contemporary China. In this episode, they discuss criticisms of the book as well as how French managed to interview so many diverse peoples.

Recommendations

• Prof. French
• Every Day Is for the Thief by Teju Cole

Brought to you by:

African Development Jobs

Mighty Mike

Migration and Imperialism in the Sino-Africa relationship (1/2)

The excellent China's Second Continent: How a Million Migrants Are Building a New Empire in Africa was just released to rave reviews last month. This phenomenal Africa-China book looks at China's engagement with Africa through the prism of Chinese immigration to the continent. In order to further explore some of theses themes, host Winslow Robertson (Dr. Nkemjika Kalu is sadly indisposed) discusses the book with its author, Prof. Howard W. French. French is associate professor at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, where he teaches reporting, writing, and a spring seminar each year on contemporary China. Prof. French also had a distinguished career with The New York Times, where he spent almost two decades as a foreign correspondent: He was chief of the newspaper's Shanghai bureau. Prior, he headed bureaus in Japan, West and Central Africa, Central America and the Caribbean. He also wrote The Next Empire, a 2010 China-Africa article in The Atlantic. In addition, Prof. French wrote A Continent for the Taking: The Tragedy and Hope of Africa and Disappearing Shanghai: Photographs and Poems of an Intimate Way of Life.

Brought to you by:

African Development Jobs

Mighty Mike

Business and Pleasure: Afro-Chinese Marriages (2/2)

Hosts Winslow Robertson and Dr. Nkemjika Kalu continue their conversation with Jenni Marsh  who just wrote a brilliant article at South China Morning Post's Post Magazine: Afro-Chinese marriages boom in Guangzhou: but will it be 'til death do us part'? We ask about what struck her most about the relationships encountered, what will these relationships mean for China's conception of race, and more.

Recommendations

• Jenni Marsh
• My Father's House (Jiao Tang) by Zhao Dayong and David Bandurski

Brought to you by:

African Development Jobs

Mighty Mike

Business and Pleasure: Afro-Chinese Marriages (1/2)

As more Africans set up shop in Guangzhou, there has been a corresponding increase in Afro-Chinese marriages. Hosts Winslow Robertson and Dr. Nkemjika Kalu talked to Jenni Marsh, who just wrote a brilliant article at South China Morning Post's Post Magazine on that very topic: Afro-Chinese marriages boom in Guangzhou: but will it be 'til death do us part'? Marsh is Assistant Editor of Post Magazine at South China Morning Post in Hong Kong. She is currently researching the African diaspora in Guangzhou, with a grant from the University of Witwatersrand's China-Africa Reporting Project.

Recommendations

• Jenni Marsh
• State Regulation of Undocumented African Migrants in China: A Multi-scalar Analysis by Lan Shanshan

Brought to you by:

African Development Jobs

Mighty Mike

Africa and China relationships: Some observations

By Tasha Coleman

As of 2012, there were roughly one million Chinese living throughout the continent of Africa.[1] Some of these individuals and families are migrants while others were born in Africa.[2] Living in such close proximity fosters African-Chinese friendships and even marriages[3]. These sorts of interactions also occur in China: for example, I am an African-American woman living in China and I am currently dating a Chinese man. I have also met many African business owners and students here in Shanghai. Such interactions serve as a positive influence on the trust that Africans and Chinese have for each other.

China House

ALERT: This is a Mandarin-language episode! Host Andy Shuai Liu of China Open Mic spoke with China Going Out's Hongxiang Huang (who was a Cowries and Rice guest back in October of 2013) to talk about his newest project: China House. China House looks to help open-minded Chinese citizens integrate better with African societies and promote a more mutually beneficial Sino-African relationship. If you were curious as to what effective Chinese non-governmental organizations or corporate social responsibility would look like, please listen to this episode!

Recommendations

• Hongxiang Huang
• African Heritage House by Alan Donovan

Brought to you by:

African Development Jobs

Mighty Mike

Chinese migrants in Lesotho

ALERT: This is a Mandarin-language episode! Jess Wilhelm, Senior Research Associate at Social & Scientific Systems, delivered a lecture on Chinese migrants in Lesotho based on his experiences as a Peace Corps Volunteer there. He spoke on April 17, 2014 at China Garden for the Mandarin Speakers Society. Carlos Da Rosa provided the introduction. We recorded the lecture, and Mr. Wilhelm was generous in offering to translate it, and his efforts can be seen below the break.

Introduction - 0:11
Lecture - 4:34
Questions and answers - 45:49

Africa, China, and green energy (2/2)

Continuing from the previous discussion about China's involvement in African green energy, hosts Winslow Robertson and Dr. Nkemjika Kalu ask PhD students Alexander Demissie and Moritz Weigel of ChinaAfricaBlog to delve further into their research. They talk about what has been most surprising, what they hope people will take away from the discussion, and more. This is part two of the two-part episode!

Recommendations

• Alexander Demissie
• Yod Abyssinia
• Jazzamba Lounge
• Moritz Weigel
• HOT Point

Brought to you by:

African Development Jobs

Mighty Mike

Africa, China, and green energy (1/2)

China is quite involved in African power infrastructure, but what about renewable energy? Hosts Winslow Robertson and Dr. Nkemjika Kalu asked the good people at ChinaAfricaBlog, PhD students Alexander Demissie and Moritz Weigel, to discuss their latest research on the topic and give context as to what is China doing in terms of promoting green energy and technology. This is part one of a two-part episode!

PS We made a mistake in our discussion about Chinese 5-year-plans that I could not smoothly edit out. We accidentally said that they have been used since 1949, but In fact the first first 5-year-plan began in 1953. Apologies!

Recommendations

• Alexander Demissie
• Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
• The Entrepreneurial State: Debunking Public vs. Private Sector Myths by Mariana Mazzucato
• Moritz Weigel
• Sino-African Energy Relations: China as a Catalyst for Renewable Energy Development in Africa? by Global Public Policy Institute
• The Morality of China in Africa: The Middle Kingdom and the Dark Continent by Stephen Chan

Brought to you by:

African Development Jobs

Mighty Mike

How does one get a China-Africa job? Secrets revealed!

You specialized in China-African relations, so where is that dynamic, high-powered job that you were expecting? Isn't everyone interested in Sino-Africa relations and willing to pay for that expertise? Not quite. Hosts Dr. Nkemjika Kalu and Winslow Robertson asked the most successful China-Africanist they know of (read: not an academic), Dr. Lucy Corkin, Class of Programme at Rand Merchant Bank, to come on the show and give some career advice. You may know Dr. Corkin from her many publications, most notably Uncovering African Agency: Angola's Management of China's Credit Lines. If you are an underemployed Sino-Africanist, you owe it to yourself to listen to this episode!

Recommendations

• Dr. Corkin
• Red Capital Club
• ANC targets South Africa's ethnic Chinese voters by WantChinaTimes/Xinhua

Brought to you by:

African Development Jobs

Mighty Mike

The Africa Daily

An African American perspective on Sino-Africa relations

By Tasha Coleman

The evidence is undeniable. Africa and China are becoming increasingly connected. As an African-American living in China I am confronted with the evidence on a regular basis. Whether it be through reading news about increased investment and trade or meeting African students that learned to speak Chinese while in their home country, the connection is clear. For example, China is Africa’s largest trade partner[1] and is making investments such as building a railway line in East Africa.[2] Such encounters have made me wonder how African Americans relate to burgeoning Sino-African relations.