African soft power in China

Adams Bodomo

doi:10.7552/0-1-2-160

Abstract

This paper comprises an account of outstanding performance by some Africans living in China in the practice of their professions, in their studies, in public service, and in their general interaction with the Chinese people and the Chinese state. The paper argues that these activities, recognised as outstanding by the Chinese and widely reported in the Chinese and international media, constitute the building blocks of African soft power in China. The consequences of this argumentation include the fact that if the governments of Africa and China want to promote peopleto-people relations in the third decade of 21st Century Africa-China relations under the aegis of the Forum for Africa-China Cooperation (FOCAC), more of such activities by diaspora Africans in China and diaspora Chinese in Africa must be recognised, promoted, rewarded, and institutionalised within the formal FOCAC framework.

Highlights

After more than a decade (2000 to 2013) of intense co-operation between Africa and China within the framework of the Forum on Africa-China Cooperation (FOCAC), it is time to take stock of these relations and find ways to develop them further in the second and subsequent decades
This diasporic presence on either side of the partnership is not without debate. What challenges do these Diasporas pose for their hosts and for general Africa-China relations? Do they play any positive roles and how can we further harness these positive roles to strengthen Africa-China cooperation? On the one hand there are media reports and academic analyses that show that these communities indulge in activities that create negative perceptions, tensions and divisions and threaten the strengthening of relations between the two parties
They should engage more in the promotion of community development activities.”. These case studies have illustrated – by concentrating on two Africans widely recognised in Chinese society as extraordinary members of the community – that Africans are contributing to the promotion of socio-cultural relations between Africa and China. These two and many other Africans located in many places in China including Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Macau, Yiwu, Shanghai and Beijing are emerging as agents of African soft power in China

Summary

Introduction

After more than a decade (2000 to 2013) of intense co-operation between Africa and China within the framework of the Forum on Africa-China Cooperation (FOCAC), it is time to take stock of these relations and find ways to develop them further in the second and subsequent decades. On the one hand there are media reports (for example CNN, BBC and SCMP) and academic analyses (for example Zhou, 2011; and Mathews and Yang 2012 for Africans in China; Mohan and Lampert 2013 for Chinese in Angola, Ghana and Nigeria; and Sautman and Yan 2014 for Africans in Zambia) that show that these communities indulge in activities that create negative perceptions, tensions and divisions and threaten the strengthening of relations between the two parties There are, those that believe that diaspora communities on either side of the partnership have a major role to play in developing stronger Africa-China cooperation (for example Bodomo 2010, 2012; Bodomo and Ma 2010, 2012; Bodomo and Silva 2012; Sautman and Yan 2014). Adam Musa was a 29-year old PhD student in International Relations at Central China Normal University in Wuhan Hubei Province, China at the time of my interview He is a Nigerian national and his mother tongue is Hausa, and he lists languages such as English and Mandarin Chinese as other languages that he speaks. They should engage more in the promotion of community development activities.”

Summary

Findings

Summary and conclusions