Follow CGSP on Social Media

Listen to the CGSP Podcast

Video Worth Watching: Meet 26-Year Old Tecno Manager Chen Kai

by Eric Olander

Chinese propaganda videos produced by CGTN or its parent network CCTV are usually not very noteworthy, but from time to time they do produce something that is absolutely fascinating and definitely worth watching. Because they’re CCTV they get access to the Chinese community in Africa that no other news channel could even dream of.

In this edition of the show Time of China 中国时刻, CCTV introduces us to one of the countless young Chinese professionals who’ve moved to Africa in search of opportunities and adventure they can’t find at home. Chen Kai is a channel manager for the Chinese-owned mobile phone giant Tecno that dominates the African device. In this video, CCTV follows Chen in his primary market in Ghana and then back to his home village in rural China.

Lead the Conversation on China

Subscribe Today to Get Full Access to The China-Global South Project

Check Out Everything You'll Get With Your Subscription

The China-Global South Daily Brief delivered to your inbox at 6AM Washington time

Full access to exclusive news and analysis from editors based in the Global South

Transcripts of CGSP’s twice-weekly podcasts

Students and teachers with a valid .edu email address are eligible for a 50% discount off monthly or yearly subscriptions. Email us to receive a discount code.

You Might Like

Transsion’s Nearly Two-Year Run of Uninterrupted Growth in Africa Comes to an End

Two years of the pandemic, supply chain disruptions and slowing economies in Africa finally caught up with Shenzhen-based African mobile phone giant Transsion. The company released its first-quarter results earlier this month that ...

Nigeria Awards Huawei Contract to Build Electronic Border Surveillance System

Huawei will build a new satellite-based electronic monitoring system along sections of Nigeria’s 5,000-kilometer border in a bid to stem the flow of illegal immigrants and to provide early detection of security threats. ...

Chinese Brands Take a Hit as Smartphone Sales Slump in Mideast and African Countries

First-quarter smartphone shipments to countries in the Mideast and Africa slumped to their lowest level in seven years, with some of China’s top device makers all losing share. High inflation and weak local ...

What is The China-Global South Project?

Independent

The China-Global South Project is passionately independent, non-partisan and does not advocate for any country, company or culture.

News

A carefully curated selection of the day’s most important China-Global South stories. Updated 24 hours a day by human editors. No bots, no algorithms.

Analysis

Diverse, often unconventional insights from scholars, analysts, journalists and a variety of stakeholders in the China-Global South discourse.

Networking

A unique professional network of China-Africa scholars, analysts, journalists and other practioners from around the world.

Subscribe