A post by longtime Africa WeChat commentator Xiao Nie (小聂说事儿) is sparking a lot of discussion in Chinese development circles about the current conditions facing Chinese expatriates in Africa. Xiao Nie is well-known for his blunt “tell it like it is” writing style, which he’s picked up from living in East Africa for the past ten years. His posts are widely followed by Chinese Africa watchers and provide a sharp contrast to the upbeat glossy narratives promoted by Chinese party and state media outlets.
In this latest post, published on November 1, 2024, Xiao Nie takes aim at the constant flow of stories that appear in various Africa WeChat channels showcasing successful Chinese entrepreneurs. These stories, many of which are produced by Chinese provinces as a way to boost ties with the Chinese diaspora in Africa, have a similar “rags to riches” theme where they profile an entrepreneur who was struggling to find his way back home in China but later found success when he moved to Africa.
