China in AfricaChina in Africa

Christine Avenarius, PhDDepartment of Anthropology, East Carolina University

AnthropologyAnthropologyBiological AnthropologyArchaeologyLinguistic AnthropologyCultural Anthropology

◦Why do people do what they do?◦Understanding others from their point

of view◦Participant observation as the

framework of learning about others

China in AfricaChina in Africa

Who are the Chinese in Africa?Why are the Chinese in Africa? What do local people think about the Chinese in Africa?

What should the US make of the presence of the Chinese in Africa?

Why are some observers upset?

Which China? Which Which China? Which Africa? Africa?

Which China? Which Which China? Which Africa? Africa? China Africa

1.3 billion people 1 billion people

1 state 54 states363 people/ sq.mile 80

people/ sq.mile

Which China?Which China?

Which Africa? Which Africa? Colonial Africa ca. 1920

Africa in 2006

Which Africa? Which Africa?

Africa today:- creative entrepreneurs- new elites- emerging middle classes

What is China doing in What is China doing in Africa? Africa? The macro view The macro view

EU and US opinionsEU and US opinions• China is predatory• China is displacing African industries• China is embedding Africa in relations of dependencies

Neo-colonialism ?

Which countries in Africa?Which countries in Africa?

A selection:Angola, Nigeria, SudanZambia

Ghana, Tanzania Namibia

Note: Many African traders live in China (South China is home to “Africatowns”)

History of China in Africa History of China in Africa relationsrelations1890s: railroad workers in South Africa1950s: beginning of courtship to win

votes from African nation-states to secure a UN seat

1960s: aid to emerging African nation-states

… … history… history… 1970 to 1975: building the TAZARA

railway

… … historyhistory1978/1983: “Opening up” policy

◦economic reforms in China Pragmatism towards Africa Need to establish a win-win cooperation with

African nation-states

1995: “Going out” policy ◦every upstanding Chinese citizen can

obtain a a passport◦encouragement of economic cooperation

“footnote:” international community begins to take note in 2006

China’s foreign policy since China’s foreign policy since the 1990s the 1990s Strategies promoted by Strategies promoted by Deng Xiaoping:Deng Xiaoping:

Observe calmlySecure our positionCope with affairs calmlyHide our capacities and bide our

timeBe good at maintaining a low

profileNever claim leadershipMake some contributions

The “cliff notes” on China’s The “cliff notes” on China’s policypolicyNo interferenceNo attachment to conditions

build economic infrastructure, but stay away from influencing political structures

“You don't know how much we can love you, provided you don't try to tell us what to do. You cannot impose your culture on me. But if you respect my culture and if you try to be good to me and really think in terms of the human side of me, we'll be ready to stand on your side, you know.“ (Namibian citizen)

Who are the Chinese in Who are the Chinese in Africa? Africa? Government officialsPara-statal companies building

infrastructure, mining facilities, oil refineries

Private entrepreneurs ◦large private construction companies◦small business owners◦street vendors◦transient migrants (by way of Europe

or on the way towards Europe/US)

How many Chinese? How many Chinese?

No official figures availableChinese government is not able to provide numbers for private Chinese entrepreneurs either

Depends on country and projects- Nigeria: up to 50 000 Chinese? - Angola: up to10 000 Chinese? - Sudan: up to 10 000 Chinese?

2000 registered private enterprises in 2010

Construction companies and Construction companies and Oil refineriesOil refineriesChinese laborers live in separate

camps from locals

Agricultural land grabs?Agricultural land grabs? no substantial evidence compare to other countries and

other purchases

Why are the Chinese in Why are the Chinese in Africa?Africa?At the corporate level:pragmatic cooperation for mutual

benefitsto advance Africa’s socioeconomic

developmentto secure China’s access to vital

resources South-South Alliances

Why are the Chinese in Why are the Chinese in Africa?Africa?At the private entrepreneur level: Limited economic opportunities in ChinaCrowded living conditions in ChinaSons need funds for a house to woe a wifeThe Chinese dream: from rags to richesAfrican nation-states are

s“lands of opportunity”

What do Chinese and local What do Chinese and local people think about each people think about each other? other? Mutual admirationMutual loathing

Mutual admirationMutual admirationResidents of Africa:

◦Young people enjoy martial arts◦General public admires efficiency,

work ethnic, simple lifestylesChinese people:

◦Admire the beauty and vastness of the land

◦Magnificence of animals

Mutual loathingMutual loathing

Racist attitudes on both sidesChinese say:

locals are lazy locals focus on presence, not futuregovernment officials extort money

Feizhou = negative continent

Mutual loathingMutual loathingLocals say: • Chinese people are hoarding our resources• Chinese people sell low quality goods and build low quality buildings/roads• Chinese people don’t train local workers and don’t comply with labor laws and regulations• Chinese people don’t invest in local economy (e.g. banking)

Case Study: Chinese in Case Study: Chinese in NamibiaNamibia

NamibiaNamibia

2. 1 million people numerous ethnic groups7% white people

Languages:EnglishAfrikaansGermanethnic languages

Ethnographic FieldworkEthnographic FieldworkShort time period: 6 weeksObservation (no participation)Archival data: newspaper clippingsInterviews

◦Informal interviews: 54 (and 4 key informants)

◦Semi-structured interviews: 51◦Structured interviews using props: 14

Unstructured interviewsUnstructured interviewsMale Female Total

Chinese 10 10 20

White Namibians

10 4 14

Black Namibians

8 5 13

Colored Namibians

2 5 7

Semi-structured interviewsMale Female Total

Chinese 16 8 24

White Namibians

12 4 16

Black Namibians

8 3 11

FindingsFindingsBlack Namibians (Ovambo, Herero, Damara,

Nama) own few retail shops Chinatown is a retail ghettoConstruction companies dominate public

opinion and awarenessBlack elite considers Chinese as “honorary

blacks”Government disconnected from public

opinion

Findings regarding Chinese Findings regarding Chinese migrantsmigrantsVery little opportunity for interaction

beyond business transactionsConstruction workers are completely

isolatedVery little English skills (even less

Afrikaans or indigenous languages) Early migrants are successful as

brokers

… … findings on Chinese migrantsfindings on Chinese migrantsDifferences between younger and older

Chinese (40 years of age is the threshold) in opinions about business strategies

Chinese migrants feel harassed by government officials

Chinese migrants have established very few visible community organizations for themselves

Socializing takes place in online communities

Findings regarding NamibiansFindings regarding NamibiansWhite business owners are impressed by

Chinese work ethic and benefit from the business of construction companies

Employees of big Namibian corporations are disturbed about Chinese working conditions and competition

Newspapers promote negative stereotypes about Chinese companies.

Lower class and middle class Namibians are not well informed

… … findings regarding Namibiansfindings regarding Namibians

Black and Colored Namibians appreciate the shopping opportunities

“Chinese Dollar stores” offer an alternative to South African owned chain stores

Consuming is the new past-time…

What makes Chinese What makes Chinese successful?successful?Willing to “eat bitterness”Willing to “do what it takes”Creative economics:

circumventing regulationsLive like the local people Efficient and effective Playing local people against each

other

What connects Chinese What connects Chinese and Africans?and Africans?Kinship orientationHierarchical view of social

relationships◦humans are not considered equal◦networking and reliance on “key

people”Both cultural groups that interact

are unable to say “no”Similar decision making strategies:

◦Palaver (Africa) and Consensus (China)

China and many African nation-China and many African nation-states share(d) structural states share(d) structural similaritiessimilaritiesNeed for reform in light of Euro-

American industrialization and economic advantage

Large proportions of poor citizensEarly statehood characterized by:

◦ reliance on agriculture, lack of industry Need for infrastructureTight connection between state and

economic interests Advancement of the interests of the

state at the expense of ordinary people

Is ‘neo-colonialism’ a good Is ‘neo-colonialism’ a good label?label?China accepts the sovereignty of

African nation-statesChina is not on a mission to convert

African nation states to their point of view

China is more interested in Africans as consumers than as laborers

Postcolonial interdependency (though economically imbalanced)

“Africa and China are the most unequal equals.”

Julius Nyerere (1922 to 1999)

President of Tanzania (1964 to 1985)

China prefers bilateral engagement and avoids multilateral agreements

China wants to secure its investments

Although China doesn’t practice ethnocentrism, many Chinese people have a sense of cultural superiority

What should the US make of What should the US make of the presence of Chinese in the presence of Chinese in Africa? Africa? Establishing personal relationships

mattersChina is not going to “take over”… … but China is not limiting its

activities eitherChina is becoming an important

global player

Engage with China

'I'll love you, dear, I'll love you Till China and Africa meet,And the river jumps over the

mountain And the salmon sing in the street

Source: W. H. Auden (third verse of his poem “As I walked out one evening,” published in 1940).

Column1 Angola DR Congo Ghana Namibia Nigeria Sudan Tanzania

Form of Government Republic Republic Constitutional

Democracy Republic Federal Republic Federal Republic Republic

Square km 1,246,700 sq km 2,344,858 sq km 238,533 sq km 824,292 sq km 923,768 sq km 1,861,484 sq km 947,300 sq km

Population size 18,056,072 73,599,190 24,652,420 2,165,828 170,123,740 34,206,710 46,912,768

Number of Ethnicities Min. of 5 Over 200, most

Bantu or Hamitic Min. of 10 Min. of 9 Over 250 5 Min of 4, most are Bantu

Ethnic Group Ovimbundu 37% Mongo (Bantu) Akan 45.3% Ovambo 50% Hausa and Falani 29%

Sudanese Arab 70% Bantu 95%

Ethnic Group Kimbundu 25% Luba (Bantu) Mole-Dagbon 15.2% Kavangos- 9% Yoruba 21% Fur Other (European,

Asian, Arab)- 1%

Ethnic Group Bakongo 13% Kongo (Bantu) Ewe 11.7% Herero 7% Igbo 18% Beja

Ethnic Group mestico 2%Mangbetu-

Azande (Hamitic) 45%

Ga-Dangme 7.3% Damara 7% Ijaw 10% Nuba

Ethnic Group Other 23% Gurma 3.6% Mixed with white 6.5% Kanuri 4% Fallata

Religious Affiliation

Indigenous- 47% 1998

Roman Catholic- 50% Christian 68.8% Christian- 80-90% Muslim Sunni,

Shia, Sufi- 50% Sunni Muslim Christian- 30%

Religious Affiliation

Roman Catholic- 38% Protestant- 20%

Pentecostal/Charasmatic-

24.1%Lutheran- 50% Christian- 40% Small Christian

minority Muslim- 35%

Religious Affiliation Postestant- 15% Kimbanguist- 10% Muslim Sunni-

15.9%Indigenous- 10-

20% Indigenous- 10% Indigenous- 35%

Religious Affiliation Muslim- Sunnite Muslim- 10% Traditional- 8.5% Zanzibar- Muslim-

99%

GDP $116.3 billion- 2011

$25.29 billion -2011

$75.66 billion- 2011

$15.93 billion- 2011 $414 billion- 2011 $89.16 billion-

2011$67.9 billion-

2011

Export to China 38.10% 48.10% N/A N/A N/A Macau 65.2% 14.30%

Import from China 17.80% 16.20% 20.40% N/A 17.30% Macau 21.5% 17.40%

Main trading partner China, Portugal China, South

Africa France, China N/A US, China Macau (China) China, India

Angola DR Congo Ghana Namibia Nigeria Sudan Tanzania

Population size 18,056,072 73,599,190 24,652,420 2,165,828 170,123,740 34,206,710 46,912,768

Ethnic Group Ovimbundu -37%

Mongo (Bantu) Akan- 45.3% Ovambo 50% Hausa and

Falani- 29%Sudanese Arab- 70% Bantu 95%

Ethnic Group Kimbundu -25% Luba (Bantu) Mole-Dagbon

15.2%Kavangos- 9% Yoruba- 21% Fur

Other (European, Asian, Arab)- 1%

Ethnic Group Bakongo 13% Kongo (Bantu) Ewe- 11.7% Herero 7% Igbo- 18% Beja

Ethnic Group Mestico- 2%

Mangbetu-Azande (Hamitic) 45%

Ga-Dangme 7.3% Damara 7% Ijaw- 10% Nuba

Ethnic Group Other- 23% Gurma- 3.6% Mixed with white 6.5% Kanuri- 4% Fallata

Population and Ethnicity