Table Of ContentPALGRAVE SERIES IN
ASIA AND PACIFIC STUDIES
China’s Media and
Soft Power in Africa
Promotion and Perceptions
Xiaoling Zhang
Edited by ,
Herman Wasserman
&
Winston Mano
China’s Media and Soft
Power in Africa
Palgrave Series in Asia and Pacific Studies
Series Editors: May Tan-Mullins and Adam Knee
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Published by Palgrave Macmillan, in collaboration with the Institute of Asia and
Pacific Studies, UNNC
China’s Media and Soft Power in Africa: Promotion and Perceptions
Edited by Xiaoling Zhang, Herman Wasserman, and Winston Mano
China’s Media and Soft
Power in Africa
Promotion and Perceptions
Edited by
Xiaoling Zhang, Herman Wasserman, and Winston Mano
palgrave
macmillan
CHINA’S MEDIA AND SOFT POWER IN AFRICA
Selection and editorial content © Xiaoling Zhang, Herman Wasserman,
and Winston Mano 2016
Individual chapters © their respective contributors 2016
Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 2016 978-1-137-54565-7
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ISBN 978-1-349-71377-6
E-PDF ISBN: 978–1–137–53967–0
DOI: 10.1057/9781137539670
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
China’s media and soft power in Africa : promotion and perceptions /
edited by Xiaoling Zhang, Herman Wasserman, and Winston Mano.
pages cm. — (Palgrave series in Asia and Pacific studies)
Based on papers presented at a conference titled, “China’s soft power in
Africa: emerging media and cultural relations between China and Africa”,
held in the University of Nottingham’s Ningbo Campus in China (UNNC)
in September 2014.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
1. Mass media—
Africa—Congresses. 2. Mass media—China—Influence—Congresses.
3. Africa—Press coverage—China—Congresses. 4. Africa—Civilzation—
Chinese influences—Congresses. 5. Africa—Relations—China—Congresses.
6. China—Relations—Africa—Congresses. I. Zhang, Xiaoling, 1961–
editor. II. Wasserman, Herman, 1969– editor. III. Mano, Winston, editor.
P92.A4.C45 2016
302.230951—dc23 2015033253
A catalogue record for the book is available from the British Library.
Contents
List of Tables and Figures vii
Preface: Competing Representations and Conflicting
Perceptions of China’s Engagement in Africa ix
Acknowledgments xii
Introduction 1
1 A World of Shared Influence 3
Xiaoling Zhang
Section I Theoretical, Historical, and Global 17
2 Reflections of a Soft Power Agnostic 19
Gary D. Rawnsley
3 The Scramble for Asian Soft Power in Africa 33
Daya Kishan Thussu
4 Evolving Media Interactions between China and Africa 47
Ran Jijun
Section II China’s Promotion 63
5 How Much Soft Power Does China Have in Africa? 65
Helge Rønning
6 Why Are Chinese Media in Africa? Evidence from Three
Decades of Xinhua’s News Coverage of Africa 79
Dani Madrid-Morales
7 Constructive Journalism: A New Journalistic Paradigm of
Chinese Media in Africa 93
Zhang Yanqiu and Simon Matingwina
vi Contents
8 Chinese Perception of Soft Power: The Role of the Media
in Shaping Chinese Views and Discourses on Foreign
Aid to Africa 107
May Tan-Mullins
Section III Perceptions in Africa 121
9 Journalists’ and Public Perceptions of the Politics of China’s
Soft Power in Kenya under the “Look East”
Foreign Policy 123
Jacinta Mwende Maweu
10 Building Blocks and Themes in Chinese Soft Power
toward Africa 135
Bob Wekesa
11 Positive Portrayal of Sino–African Relations in the
Ethiopian Press 149
Terje Skjerdal and Fufa Gusu
12 Engaging with China’s Soft Power in Zimbabwe:
Harare Citizens’ Perceptions of China–Zimbabwe Relations 163
Winston Mano
13 China’s Soft Power in Sudan: Increasing Activity
but How Effective? 181
Daniel Johanson
Conclusion 193
14 Chinese Soft Power in Africa: Findings, Perspectives,
and More Questions 195
Herman Wasserman
Bibliography 205
Notes on Contributors 231
Index 235
List of Tables and Figures
Tables
5.1 A Narrative Model of Chinese Attempts at
Securing “Soft Power” 75
6.1 Competing Explanations on China’s Media
Involvement in Africa 83
6.2 Evolution of the Main Topic in Xinhua
Wires (in Percentages) 87
6.3 Percentage of Xinhua Wire Stories Mentioning
China and Selected African Countries 88
6.4 Evolution of Occurrence of Selected Themes in Xinhua
Wire Stories (in Percentages) 89
6.5 Evolution in the Tone of Xinhua Wire Stories
(in Percentages) 89
7.1 Top Six Represented Countries and Regions on
CCTV Africa 101
7.2 Topics Covered on CCTV Africa 101
7.3 Slant of Stories on CCTV Africa 102
12.1 Selected Harare Residents’ Comments on
China–Zimbabwe Relations 174
12.2 Harare Respondents’ Emerging Perceptions of
China–Zimbabwe Relations 178
viii List of Tables and Figures
Figures
7.1 Topics Covered on CCTV Africa 102
10.1 Frame Performance 143
10.2 Sources of Articles 144
12.1 Number of Respondents as Classified by Gender 172
12.2 Who is Benefiting from Zimbabwe–China
Economic Relations? 173
12.3 Perceptions on the Teaching of Mandarin in Zimbabwe 175
12.4 Media Rankings in Terms of Accuracy of Reportage on
Zimbabwe–China Relations 177
Preface: Competing
Representations and
Conflicting Perceptions of
China’s Engagement in Africa
This volume is the result of a conference titled “China’s Soft Power in
Africa: Emerging Media and Cultural Relations between China and
Africa,” held in the University of Nottingham’s Ningbo Campus in China
(UNNC) in September, 2014. China has dramatically increased its eco-
nomic engagement with Africa. At the same time, it has been promoting
its soft power on the continent. As important platforms for the promo-
tion of soft power, large investments are being poured into the official
media organizations to improve their reporting and broadcasting, includ-
ing greatly increased and increasing media presence, exchange programs,
and training for African journalists, and provision of infrastructural and
technical support to the media sector in Africa. However, the involve-
ment of China in Africa has been controversial. It is seen by some to have
negative consequences for the deepening of democracy on the continent
should China’s attitude toward press freedom be adopted by their new
African partners. This conference examined and analyzed the competing
views in order to promote a better understanding of China’s involvement
in Africa using its media engagement as an entry point.
China’s active, multidimensional engagement in Africa in the past
decade has given rise to competing, sometimes conflicting, views regard-
ing its real motivations. China is keen to have its own platforms to air its
own views, because it believes the international media discourse environ-
ment is dominated by the West, which has been demonizing China,
including its activities in Africa. Big investments have therefore been
poured into the official media organizations to improve their reporting
and broadcasting on the one hand and to increase their presence around
the world on the other, especially in the case of China’s broadcasting giant
