Divergent governance over African communities in two Chinese cities

Abstract

ABSTRACT This article examines the different approaches to governing sub-Saharan African traders in urban China due to varying urban growth strategies. Over the past two decades, an increasing number of African migrants have settled in Chinese cities, primarily Guangzhou and Yiwu, to run businesses focused on exports. However, they have been treated differently by local governments. The Guangzhou government's goal of attaining global city status has resulted in the mobilization of racial ideologies to create a socio-spatial hierarchy that marginalizes Africans, categorizing them as “undesirable” for the globalizing city and its “advanced” industries. Conversely, the Yiwu government's objective of becoming an international trading hub for Global South markets has led to a greater emphasis on African communities and a heightened sensitivity towards racial dynamics. This comparative analysis highlights how a city's position in the global economy and its corresponding growth strategies shape its interactions with migrant populations.