Research Project “China in Afrika”
Recently China’s role in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has become a vital research topic in the sphere of social sciences. Mega infrastructural projects across the continent, steps taken by China to access and secure much needed natural resources for its growing economy, the no-string attached financial help given to African countries and the expansion of Chinese companies and cultural outfits like the Confucius Institutes into African countries have shown the growing importance of the People’s Republic of China on the African Continent. Besides, the rise of China in Africa has changed the pattern of interaction between traditional partners like the EU and USA with the number of African countries.
These developments raise several questions on the future of Africa and its position in the international system. The Research Group “China in Africa” at the Centre for Global Studies at the University Bonn will focus its research on explaining the following questions:
- How could China maintain its rise in Africa since the end of the Cold War? What were the measures taken by China to hold such successful entry into the African Continent?
- What are the driving factors of China’s interests in SSA? Did they change in the course of time, if yes, how and why?
- Who are the driving actors within the Chinese society that foster the relationship with African countries? What are their distinct interests and what are their goals in this relationship?
- What are the positions of African countries within the growing interdependence with China? How do they define their position and how successful are they in bringing forward their agenda?
- Does the growing relationship between China and African countries mean a power shift from Africa’s traditional partners towards China?
Research Group members
- Alexander Demissie
- Elisabeth Inhester
- Sezgi Cemiloglu
- Gunnar Henrich
- Christelle Wonkam
Recent publications:
- Inhester, Elisabeth and Alexander Demissie. 2010. Es gibt sie, die Kooperation. Die Sino-afrikanischen Beziehungen seit der Konferenz von Bandung und ihre Transformation im 21. Jahrhundert. Südostasien (3): S. 25-28. http://www.asienhaus.de/public/archiv/2010-3-025i.pdf