Centre for Chinese Studies

17/10/2018

Not enough credit is given to the agency African governments have in their dealings with China.

15/10/2018

New CCS Policy Briefs on industrialization and infrastructure in the China-Africa field - with a special focus on SEZs in South Africa and China's role in Tanzania's Bagamoyo port development

The first policy brief examines China’s role in Tanzania’s Bagamoyo port development. China’s engagement in Africa’s infrastructure development has gained momentum along with its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). This game changing initiative has the potential to drive Africa’s socio-economic development and structural transformation. This policy brief argues that the success of the developments depend on the proper management of risks, uncertainties, and the complexity of the policy making process by the host governments.

The second policy brief examines Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in South Africa. In 2018 South Africa reaffirmed its support for SEZs by approving the preferential tax treatment status of SEZs. Despite excitement around new government support, challenges experienced in the zones have been identified through interviews with stakeholders. The policy brief draws lessons for newly launched zones such as the Atlantis SEZ in the Western Cape and other zones in South Africa and beyond.

For access to these publications please see our website: http://www0.sun.ac.za/ccs/?cat=64

25/09/2018

CCS in the media: 'Unlike in the Euro-American sphere, which has a long history of robust independent scholarship and teaching on China, within Africa no such foundation exists...' See link for more:

18/09/2018

Dr. Ross Anthony has shared his opinion via his article 'China’s R370bn ‘gift’ demands scrutiny' in the Mail and Guardian. See link for more:

Africa is happy to replace its former Western colonisers’ with China’s investments — but the ‘win-win’ mantra doesn’t always stand up to examination

03/09/2018

New FOCAC Policy Brief Series

The CCS has created a series of policy briefs providing strategic information for policy-makers and stakeholders. We have published the first in a series of FOCAC policy briefings deliberately examining sustainability issues in FOCAC and China’s environmental footprint in Africa. The policy briefs cover topical areas such as environmental protection, policy-making, the role of civil society and environmental implications of China’s Belt and Road Initiative. This collaborative work contributes toward coherent, credible policy options for African decision-makers, in the interests of a sustainable relationship between China and Africa.

See our website for links to download all three policy briefs: http://www0.sun.ac.za/ccs/

The Centre for Chinese Studies (CCS), at Stellenbosch University, serves as the most prominent and high quality point of reference for the study of China and East Asia on the African continent.

15/08/2018

CCS in the media: 'In the wave of China’s billion-dollar-investments in Africa many small traders have come to the continent to set up shop. Low-income households are hungry for cheap goods made in China. What looks like a win-win has its challenges.' See video link...

In the wave of China’s billion-dollar-investments in Africa many small traders have come to the continent to set up shop. Low-income households are hungry for cheap goods made in China. What looks like a win-win has its challenges.

30/07/2018

CCS in the media - 29 July 2018

Dr Ross Anthony was quoted in a South China Morning Post article on China's Belt and Road projects leaving African nations saddled with debt. See link for more:

Worries that the ambitious push for belt and road projects will leave African nations saddled with debt

30/07/2018

CCS in the media - 26 July 2018

CCS's Dr Yejoo Kim was quoted in a Global Times article on Chinese enterprises' expertise in the light manufacturing industry of South Africa. See link for more:

The popularity of Chinese commodities in South Africa, combined with Chinese enterprises’ expertise in light manufacturing and fast-growing bilateral ties, provide broad scope for industrial cooperation, said experts and local businesspeople.

25/07/2018

'BRICS cooperation will be a solution to [the] challenge of de-globalisation,' the chairperson of the Bank of China Chen Siqing said at a discussion in Sandton.

25/07/2018

The loan agreement was signed on Tuesday following bilateral talks between the Chinese President Xi Jinping and President Cyril Ramaphosa

20/07/2018

CCS in the media - 19 July 2018
Dr Ross Anthony was quoted in the Financial Mail in an article titled 'Two decades of mutual support'. This year marks the 20th anniversary of diplomatic ties between SA and China, during which time the two countries have established a number of comprehensive strategic partnerships and platforms for co-operation. For the full article, please see

This year marks the 20th anniversary of diplomatic ties between SA and China, during which time the two countries have established a number of comprehensive strategic partnerships and platforms for co-operation. These include the Forum on China-africa Co-operation (Focac), the emerging market econom...

20/07/2018

CCS in the media - 15 July 2018

China's newspaper People's Daily wrote an article about the discussion our China-Africa summer school students had with the Chinese Consulate General in Cape Town. See the link for the article. It is in Chinese so use Google Translate for English.

　　7月12日，中国驻南非开普敦总领馆里，一场别开生面的对话正在举行。对话的一方是南非斯泰伦博斯大学中国研究中心组织的“中国同非洲关系”夏令营的10多位各国大学生，一方是中国外交官。