This episode of The IR thinker looks beyond the clichés about “debt-trap diplomacy” to examine how Africa–China relations actually function in practice, in conversation with Dr Emmanuel Matambo. The discussion contrasts Western narratives with the pragmatism of African elites, explores China’s media portrayal of Africa, and examines persistent trade imbalances, industrialisation prospects and value addition on the continent. We consider whether African negotiation styles offer advantages, how technology transfer and the energy crisis shape Beijing’s role in Africa, and whether it matters if digital and energy infrastructure is sourced from Western or Chinese firms.

The conversation also addresses non-interference versus conditional aid and their implications for governance in fragile states, China’s influence in and around the African Union, the quality of Chinese diplomatic engagement, and the impact of Confucius Institutes, cultural outreach and labour practices.

Emmanuel Matambo

Dr Emmanuel Matambo is Research Director at the Centre for Africa–China Studies (CACS) at the University of Johannesburg, specialising in Africa’s evolving relationship with China. Working within a broadly constructivist framework with a particular focus on people-to-people relations, he investigates how ideas, identities and everyday interactions shape what are often portrayed as purely strategic or material partnerships. He holds a PhD in political science from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, where he later served as a postdoctoral fellow, and has been a fellow of the Wilson Center’s Africa Program and the Atlantic Council’s Millennium Leadership Program. From 2026 he will be an Iso Lomso Fellow at the Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study (STIAS), conducting research on Zambia’s shifting perceptions of China at both state and subnational levels.

Publications:

South Africa-China Relations: A Constructivist Perspective

Constructing China’s identity in Zambian politics: a tale of expediency and resignation

Content

00:00 – Introduction

01:55 – Pragmatism vs. “Debt-Trap Diplomacy”: How African Elites and Western Narratives Differ

07:29 – Africa’s Image in Chinese Media

10:17 – Trade Imbalances, Industrialisation, and Value Addition in Africa–China Relations

15:06 – Negotiating with China: Is African Directness an Advantage?

18:51 – Technology Transfer, the Energy Crisis, and China’s Role in Africa

24:54 – Western vs. Chinese Technology: Does the Source Matter for Africa?

29:07 – Non-Interference vs. Conditional Aid: Implications for Governance in Fragile States

34:20 – China’s Geopolitical Influence on the African Union

36:37 – The Calibre of Chinese Diplomats and Officials in Africa

39:14 – Confucius Institutes and Their Impact in Africa

43:05 – Is There a South African Equivalent of the Confucius Institute in China?

46:16 – Chinese Cultural and Media Outreach: Shaping African Youth Perceptions

49:07 – Labour Rights and Chinese Companies in Africa: Current Trends and Improvements

51:05 – The African Diaspora, China Research, and New Avenues of Cooperation

53:55 – Research Priorities of the Centre for Africa-China Studies, University of Johannesburg

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