Reflections on the legacy of Jiang Zemin, China’s president from 1993 to 2003, who passed away on Wednesday, emphasized how he presided over a decade of explosive economic growth. Fewer have pointed out that he was also a key architect of China’s current relationship with Africa.
After the Mao era, emblematized by Chinese involvement in African anti-colonial struggles, the relationship went dormant as China focused on building economic ties ...
Tag: public relations
Chinese Corporate Communications in Africa
Over the years, Chinese companies in Africa have earned a reputation for not very being good in how they communicate with local stakeholders, particularly with local media and civil society groups. While that remains true for the large state-owned construction and ...
Chinese Mining Companies in the DRC Are Once Again Revving Up Their PR Efforts in a Bid to Improve Their Image
If there was any doubt that Chinese mining companies were paying for positive media coverage in the Congolese press, a pair of tweets on Wednesday (photo) should settle the issue. The Sino-Congolese mining giant Sicomines touted its presence at the China International Import Expo that took place ...
The Worst May Be Over For Embattled Chinese Mining Giant Sicomines
The Sino-Congolese mining company Sicomines, which has been under intense scrutiny for the past several months over its 2007 contract with the government, is now communicating with a sense of confidence that gives the impression its troubles with the authorities in Kinshasa may be over.
Public Diplomacy With Chinese Characteristics
Many observers were caught off guard when Wu Peng, China’s top diplomat for sub-Saharan Africa, publicly condemned Chinese companies engaged in illegal activities in the DRC and announced the intention of the Chinese government to prosecute them at home. However, coming from him, it shouldn’t really be a ...
Public Relations with Chinese Characteristics
The Chinese approach to public relations often comes under fire by groups that espouse values of engagement and transparency. There is an attempt to measure Chinese PR performance against liberal democratic ideals, and unsurprisingly, those using this metric often come up disappointed time and time again. ...
Analysis from Cobus van Staden
Jiang Zemin Created the Africa-China Relationship As We Know It Today
China's Got a Trust Problem in Africa
Throughout the history of China's engagement in Africa, even today, Beijing has spent most of its time and resources to foster ties with elites across the continent. And it's done a remarkable job. Political leaders across Africa have built strong relationships with their counterparts ...