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.
Contact: dcisse@sun.ac.za
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.
This project is currently in the planning phase and as such is still a purely CCS project, we do however hope to include partners from China and other African institutions. This project will comprise of an exploratory study looking at the solar and wind renewable energy sectors in China, establishing who the owners and stake holders of these companies are (state and private) – and secondly where these companies, with their noted diferences, are active in Africa. Contact: 
