Race and Racism in the Africa-China Relationship

Image of a controversial TV sketch from the 2018 CCTV Spring Gala broadcast that comedy routine celebrating Chinese-African ties a Chinese actress wearing blackface and with exaggerated buttocks. The segment was widely criticized as insensitive and racist.

This essay is a preview of Dr. Roberto Castillo’s forthcoming article on “race” and “racism” in Africa-China relations. It was originally published as a multipart Twitter thread and has been re-posted here with the author’s permission.

Some years ago, during a lecture I was giving on media representation, ‘race’ and ‘racism’ in Africa-China relations in a Hong Kong university, a student from Nigeria raised her hand and made a remark that blew my mind and left me thinking:

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by Roberto Castillo

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