Debunking the myths of China-Africa relations
9 January 2009
The world is looking East. But the debate about China’s impact upon everything from geopolitics and aid to mining and food prices is often blurred by myth and misunderstanding. This term a series of seminars have been held at SOAS and the London International Development Centre to address this imbalance and properly explore China’s role in African affairs. The events have been organised by the Africa Asia Centre – a new research collaboration between SOAS and the Royal African Society.
Speakers from a range of academic institutions and think-tanks, including the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Beijing, have presented their findings on a range of topics, including Chinese private investment in Africa, copper mining in Zambia and the media’s portrayal of Chinese activities in Africa. James Keeley, of IIED, spoke about China's Engagement with Agriculture in Africa: Preliminary Findings from Zambia, Dr Jing Gu delivered a talk entitled China's Private Investment in Africa and the Implications for African Development and Dr Emma Mawdsley, of Cambridge University, spoke about The Politics of Representation in a Changing World: UK Newspaper Reporting on China and Africa.
Dan Large, Research Director of the Africa Asia Centre, also spoke about China-Sudan oil links during a Panorama programme called China’s Secret War.
