Research Reports

The Centre for Chinese Studies has been involved in a number of research undertakings. More information on these can be found below:

Evaluating China’s FOCAC commitments to Africa and mapping the way ahead

The Centre for Chinese Studies at Stellenbosch University embarked on a research undertaking in 2009 on behalf of the Rockefeller Foundation in New York, USA. The report, now released, aims to investigate emerging trends, opportunities and challenges in China’s engagement with five African countries and two African regional organisations through FOCAC

Titled “Evaluating China’s FOCAC commitments to Africa and mapping the way ahead”, the aim of the research was to provide African stakeholders with accurate information and commentary on the implementation of the commitments made at the 2006 Beijing FOCAC summit in order to improve their preparedness ahead of FOCAC 2009. Based on the field research observations, country specific recommendations are provided seeking to improve the developmental benefits of each country’s relations with China. Field work for the study was carried out from January to August 2009.

Overall, the implementation of the Beijing Action Plan in the five countries is fairly advanced. In the concluding analysis, six issues are identified as pivotal to whether or not Sino-African relations post the 2009 FOCAC meeting will be beneficial for Africa’s peoples. The most important issue pertains to employment equity in the African countries, notably the recruitment of local workers, labour rights and skills development. It is believed that these six issues should be taken into account by all African leaders in order to pave the way for a new Sino-African partnership, beneficial to all Africans.

The CCS Report “Evaluating China’s FOCAC commitments to Africa and mapping the way ahead” can be downloaded in English [here], French [here], Mandarin [here] and Portuguese [here].

For more information on the Report, please contact the CCS by email or telephone (+27 21) 808 2840.

Chinese Companies in the Extractive Industries of Gabon & the DRC: Perceptions of Transparency

August 2009
By: Johanna Jansson, Christopher Burke & Wenran Jiang

The Centre for Chinese Studies at Stellenbosch University embarked on a research undertaking in 2008 and 2009 supported by the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) and Revenue Watch Institute (RWI). The report, now released, aims to ascertain perceptions held by Chinese stakeholders of African operational environments and transparency in general, and the EITI in particular.

Titled “Chinese Companies in the Extractive Industries of Gabon & the DRC: Perceptions of Transparency”, the report builds on field research conducted in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Gabon in 2008 and 2009. While few of the Chinese company representatives in both Gabon and the DRC consulted for this study were aware of the EITI, all of them expressed great interest in the notion of an overarching transparency initiative. Notably in the DRC, the respondents expressed that poor governance is the single biggest challenge to their operations. It is concluded that implementation of the EITI can indeed be a useful tool to improve the operational environment for African, Chinese and other stakeholders active in Africa’s extractive industries.

Download Full Report: Chinese Companies in the Extractive Industries of Gabon & the DRC: Perceptions of Transparency – August 2009

Release of WWF Briefing Papers

August and October 2009

The Centre for Chinese Studies at Stellenbosch University produced four briefing papers for the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) in 2009. The papers outline China’s relations with Central Africa (Cameroon, the DRC and Gabon), Mozambique and Tanzania as well as the Forum for China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) and are now available on the CCS website.

Download Full Briefing Paper: Patterns of Chinese investment, aid and trade in Central Africa (Cameroun, the DRC and Gabon) – August 2009

Download Full Briefing Paper: The Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) – August 2009

Download Full Briefing Paper: Patterns of Chinese investment, aid and trade in Mozambique – October 2009

Download Full Briefing Paper: Patterns of Chinese investment, aid and trade in Tanzania – October 2009

The Relevance of Chinese Agricultural Technologies for African Smallholder Farmers: Agricultural Technology Research in China

April 2009
by Ron Sandrey and Hannah Edinger
Prepared for the African Agricultural Technology Foundation

As part of a broader study examining the “Relevance of Chinese Agricultural Technologies for African Smallholder Farmers”, commissioned by the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) and supported by the Rockefeller Foundation, the Centre for Chinese Studies formed part of the consulting team evaluating the Chinese agricultural sector and technological progress in this sector in particular. The research is aimed to better understand and research different Chinese agricultural technologies and the relevance of these to African farmers in specific case studies to facilitate opportunities for mutual benefit and cooperation in the agricultural sector between China and Africa.

Download Full Report: The Relevance of Chinese Agricultural Technologies for African Smallholder Farmers: Agricultural Technology Research in China

The broader study examining the “Relevance of Chinese Agricultural Technologies for African Smallholder Farmers” released by the AATF is available here.

Formulation of Energy Policy in China: Key Actors and Recent Developments

January 2009

In 2008, the CCS collaborated with the Revenue Watch Institute and Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) to research and compile an analysis of the evolution and contemporary discourse surrounding China’s Energy policy.

The report focuses on the structure and efficiency of energy policy-making in China. Beginning their analysis by referencing the “diffuse” nature of Chinese policy development generally, the authors identify a large number of government agencies and other actors involved in making China’s energy policy, while dissecting and mapping their roles in this decentralized process.

The report can be downloaded here and also from the RWI website.