Projects

Securing Chinese assets and personnel in South Sudan: the role of state and non-state actors

As Chinese investments on the African continent grow, questions have arisen regarding the ways in which the Chinese state and corporations protect assets and personnel abroad. More broadly, in what ways do such measures compromise China’s oft-touted “non-interference” policy? This research project, written in conjunction with Jiang Hengkun (Zhejiang Normal University) seeks to map out the terrain through an examination of Chinese security practices in South Sudan. By drawing on examples of scale, from state owned oil enterprises to small urban traders, the research highlights varying roles which the Chinese state plays in relation to its citizens’ protection abroad. The research is based on a Saferworld funded fieldtrip to South Sudan in April 2013.

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Wine industry: the South African and Chinese interaction

The focus of this project is on the interaction on China and South Africa in reference to agriculture and wine as a regional issue for the Western Cape. The discussion paper focuses on the wine industry in aim of provoking thought centered on three topics: investment opportunities, factors affecting cross-border trade and possible future factors affecting the industry.

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China-South Africa co-operation: analysing China-South Africa joint venture operations in mining

The South African mining industry is still the economic backbone of the country. South Africa is the world’s largest producer of chrome, manganese, platinum, vanadium and vermiculite. However South Africa is still faced with challenges of utilising its mineral wealth to address poverty, unemployment and inequality. China-South Africa relationship has grown – politically and economically. South Africa is the only African country to invest in China, and it is well known for its technological advances (such as liquid fuel from coal and pebble bed nuclear reactors). South Africa’s exports to China reached an all-time high of R85 billion in 2011, an increase of 45 per cent over 2010. South Africa’s exports are resource-based, with ores and metals accounting for almost 70 per cent of the total. It is important to note that China’s mining investments in South Africa are noticeably different from investments in other African countries. Chinese companies have been establishing joint ventures with South African mining companies that are profitable and stable, so as to ensure a long-term supply of raw materials to the Chinese market. This research project will examine whether China-South Africa joint venture operations in mining have created jobs, led to value addition and mine community development in South Africa. Moreover this project seeks to make a contribution to an evidence-based debate that mining revenues can be translated into long-term benefits for communities.

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Interactions between Asian and African countries at the political, economic, social and cultural level – AFRASO Project

The growing relations between countries of the global south are shaping the world political and economic order. Therefore new forms of economic cooperation are taking place and involve African, Asian and Latin American countries. These developments drive Asian emerging powers particularly in strengthening their political and economic ties with African countries.
The research project falls under the Africa’s Asian Options (AFRASO) which brings together researchers at Goethe University (Frankfurt-Germany) and Stellenbosch University through the Centre for Chinese Studies. The AFRASO project explores the interactions between Asian and African countries at the political, economic, social and cultural level. In addition to focusing on China and India in Africa, it includes other Asian countries (Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam) in their relations with African countries. In a subproject of the AFRASO, the Centre for Chinese Studies engages in the study of Chinese and South African parastatal companies’ investments in the services sector in Africa.

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South African relations with China and Taiwan – Economic realism and the ‘One China’ doctrine

The project engages in an empirical comparison between the economic relations of South Africa and the PRC, and South Africa and Taiwan, in light of the (potentially conflicting) foreign policy doctrine of ‘One China’. As its primary question, this research will examine the extent of political reach into the economic exchanges which occur between the three parties, with a specific focus on South Africa’s ability to navigate its way through such a challenging relationship. The project examines ways in which the harnessing and deployment of non-state-actors enables South Africa to adapt to new political contexts. More broadly, it is anticipated that this research will shed light on the primacy of economic trade with regards to South Africa’s foreign policy toward East Asia, and an underlying pragmatism which may be at odds with official policy.

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