Follow CGSP on Social Media

Listen to the CGSP Podcast

The Year of the Mobile Phone is Transforming China-Africa Relations

STEFAN HEUNIS / AFP

In the
history of China-Africa relations, 2019 may come to be known as the year of the
mobile phone. It was a year when phones took on an outsized commercial and
political importance. Selling its Tecno phones in Africa carried Transsion, a
relatively unknown Chinese company, to an IPO north of $4 billion. Mobile
phones dragged Africa into the fight between Huawei and the US government, with
the president of South Africa accusing the Trump administration of cracking down on the Chinese
telco out of ‘jealousy,’ leading to pushback from Washington. President Cyril Ramaphosa’s
comments were backed by South Africa’s own mobile phone companies, who have
expanded their business throughout the continent on the back of components and
support from Huawei and other Chinese companies.  

And the developments keep coming. This week, the world’s first smartphone to be fully produced (parts and all) in Africa, was launched in Rwanda. The two versions of the Mara phone will sell for $130 and $190 dollars, much higher than basic Tecno ($40) and Samsung ($70) competitors. Yet, this might not even be the point. The smartphone has become symbolic of African development, and the fully made-in-Africa smartphone represents an achievement long desired, one that carries symbolic value far beyond its market price. Behind the dream of an all-African mobile phone lies decades of yearning for a continent in control of its own voice, making things that serve the needs of its people.

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.

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.