Editor's Note: As Africa's number one trading partner and investor, China's influence is not only felt, but seen. Chinese companies are guiding Africa's urban transformation, and are using strategies learned from their own country's unprecedented rise not just a decade ago. Mass housing complexes, special economic zones, and the dizzying speed of urbanization are trademark characteristics of China's historic economic growth. The article details examples of their influence and suggests problems of doing business in Africa the Chinese way.

A sign for “Beijing Road,” has recently been put up on the suburban street in Kenya’s capital Nairobi. On Beijing Road, a Chinese developer has constructed a housing development called “Great Wall Apartments,” which look exactly like apartment complexes found in Chinese cities.

Chinese developers have been investing in and directly constructing a considerable amount of infrastructure in Africa throughout the century. They have built highways, developed rail transport, and constructed residential apartments.

Special Economic Zones

Go West Project, a think tank, recently released a photo series of seven cities in Africa to showcase China’s increasing influence in the region.

“We are interested in China’s urban model, but also want to know how China is trying to transfer their development model to other countries in the world,” said Go West Project urban strategy expert Michiel Hulshof. “Africa’s performance in this regard has been impressive.”

Chinese developers have built a special economic zone, near Lagos, Nigeria, designed to attract foreign investment, mirroring Shenzhen, a southern city created as a special economic zone 30 years ago. The city quickly evolved from a small fishing village of 20,000 to a megacity of 15 million.

“Shenzhen has become the world’s factory, Africa is also developing its own special economic zones modeled after Shenzhen,” said Hulshof.

China’s Influence

Chinese developers told investors at a London investment conference that Lagos is a dangerous and chaotic city with rampant corruption, but they decided to build something unique there. Lagos’ special economic zone will have its own airport, port, power grid, and police force.

Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa also has a special economic zone that features a successful Chinese shoe factory. The shoe factory uses Chinese machinery, is led by Chinese managers, and hires local African workers. Local Ethiopian workers make 250 Yuan per month working at the factory. 

In many African cities, China Daily newspapers are available everywhere, and local television stations feature CCTV programs.

Many cities in Africa have Chinese schools, and even Confucius Institutes. China also gives a number of scholarships each year for African students to study in China.

In addition, Chinese products not available in other parts of the world are sold in Africa, including Chinese brand mobile phones.

Chinese Tecno brand phones are available in Rwanda for 11 USD. The simple phones can take pictures, shine a flashlight, and browse the web. Users can also listen to radio broadcast on the phones, and they have dual SIM slots.

Rapid Development

It is reported that although development in Africa is very fast, but it is not at the breakneck pace of China’s major cities.

Nine years ago, China planned to build 50 special economic zones in Africa. Currently, six have been established. Chinese developers have stumbled into difficulties along the road, including cultural clashes and differences in managerial styles.

“From the Chinese point of view, the greatest danger is corruption in Africa. This makes the top-down management approach adopted by Chinese enterprises difficult to implement,” said Hulfson.

Source: QQ News

Warning：The use of any news and articles published on eChinacities.com without written permission from eChinacities.com constitutes copyright infringement, and legal action can be taken.

Keywords: Chinese cities in Africa China development Africa