China in Africa

This seminar considers China’s activities in Africa from a variety of perspectives including industrialisation, agricultural development, security and international relations.

With growth in China-Africa trade averaging 20% annually over the last two decades and China set to become Africa’s largest source of FDI within the next 10 years, China is already Africa’s largest economic partner.

China’s increasing involvement in Africa’s infrastructure development, the activities of Chinese enterprises in Africa’s construction, manufacturing, agricultural and service sectors, and the increasing visibility of Chinese entrepreneurs across Africa has been widely reported in the world’s media in recent years.

However, while there has been much debate on both China’s motivations for being so active in Africa and on the possible benefits of partnership to African countries, it remains challenging to understand the full extent of (and potential for) the China-Africa economic relationship and, moreover, how security considerations will impact upon the growing economic and social links that China has developed with African states.

This seminar, featuring presenters from South Africa and Kenya, along with renowned UK based authors and academics, will consider China’s activities in Africa from a variety of perspectives including industrialisation, agricultural development, security and international relations.

Speakers

• Professor Chris Alden, London School of Economics
• Dr Kweku Ampiah, East Asian Studies, University of Leeds
• Dr Garth Le Pere, University of Pretoria
• Dr Joshua Otieno Ogweno, Director of the Confucius Institute at Egerton University, Kenya
• Dr Chris Paterson, School of Media and Communication, University of Leeds
• Dr Zheng Yixiao, London School of Economics

Agenda

3:30pm – Welcome remarks (Dr Giles Blackburne)
3:35pm – China’s Belt and Road Initiative and the Africa dimension (Dr Zheng Yixiao)
4:00pm – China’s changing industrial strategy: implications for Africa (Dr Garth Le Pere)
4:30pm – Break
4:45pm – China and African security: the road to engagement and beyond (Professor Chris Alden)
5:15pm – Case study of China’s role in Africa’s agricultural development: The Confucius Institute at Egerton University, Kenya (Dr Joshua Ogweno)
5:40pm – China, Africa, and Media: features of a tense relationship (Dr Chris Paterson)
5:50pm – Discussion Panel and Q&A (chaired by Dr Kweku Ampiah)
6:30pm – Event close

Free event but please register.