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| Srl | Item |
| 1 |
ID:
170746
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| Summary/Abstract |
In 2012, a Chinese developer, Zendai, purchased 1,600 hectares of land in Modderfontein, Johannesburg, and announced plans for a new urban megadevelopment. Hiring a Chinese designer, the company released a series of computer-generated images. Drawing on these, the media and many in the city perceived the site to be distinctly “Chinese,” rooted in futuristic, speculative visions of urbanity. At the same time, African urban research turned its attention to similar large-scale projects throughout the continent, and has continued to speculate on their consequences. Building on these two different interpretations of Modderfontein, this paper engages with the site as a manifestation of both global trends (e.g., increasing Chinese engagement with Africa, urban inter-referencing throughout the Global South) and a reflection of place- and context-specific factors. In doing so, we focus on the ordinariness of the project to interrogate how the idea of creating an ultramodern global economic hub, rooted in the experiences and practices of a Chinese-based developer, was in the end mediated by the actions of international consultants and the City of Johannesburg. We suggest that Modderfontein should be seen as a generative form of urbanism where elements perceived to be Chinese were lost in the master planning process. We argue that the socio-material dimensions of the project instead reflect a distinctly South African urbanism.
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| 2 |
ID:
128317
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| Publication |
2014.
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| Summary/Abstract |
In the past few years, China and Africa, in light of the trend of the times, have launched the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and established a new type of strategic partnership, thus making new achievements in their relations on the basis of their traditional friendship. Despite the profound and complex changes in China and Africa and the world at large, the nature of China-Africa relations has stayed unchanged. It is what remains unchanged that offers inexhaustible impetus for the growth of this relationship and gives unique advantages to cooperation between the two sides. At a new historical starting point, China-Africa relations are poised for fresh progress. It is essential for the two sides to keep abreast of the times, make innovative and pioneering efforts, and strive for greater achievements in their relations.
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| 3 |
ID:
125014
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| Publication |
2013.
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| Summary/Abstract |
This study dissects with great acuteness some of the big questions on China-Africa relations in order to debunk burgeoning myths surrounding the nexus. It reviews a wealth of recent literature and presents the debate in three schools of thought. No substantial empirical evidence is found to back up sinister prophesies of coming catastrophe from critics of the direction of China-Africa relations. In the mean, the relationship from an economic standpoint is promising and encouraging but more needs to be done regarding multilateral relations, improvement of institutions, and sustainability of resources management. A number of positive signs suggest that China is heading toward the direction which would provide openings for a multipolar dialog. While benefiting in the short run, African governments have the capacity to tailor this relationship and address some socio-economic matters arising that may negatively affect the nexus in the long term. Policy implications are discussed.
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