Wednesday, August 20, 2014
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.
Tuesday, August 19, 2014
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!”
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)
Monday, July 7, 2014
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!
Tuesday, July 1, 2014
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
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Tuesday, June 24, 2014
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.
Friday, June 13, 2014
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.
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Monday, June 9, 2014
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
Sunday, June 8, 2014
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.
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.
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
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
Monday, June 2, 2014
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
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
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!
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!
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