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University of Cape Town Professor Says Africans Need to Understand Why China Values Ties With the Continent

by Eric Olander

Professor Carlos Lopes from the University of Cape Town is challenging the widely-held perception that Africa is very important to China’s broader global economic agenda. Well, they’re wrong, he said in a recent interview with Zimbabwean newspaper publisher Trevor Ncube.

“China is a major player in Africa but Africa is not of major importance to China,” said Professor Lopes. “The totality of Chinese investments in Africa account for about 4% of the Chinese investments in the world… as much as Pakistan,” he added.

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