• Hangwei Li
• Raj Verma

Sino-Indian Rivalry: Competition, Collaboration and African Agency

China-India relations have recently stabilized, although rivalry persists, fuelling competition in Africa over economic sectors, resources and narratives. Hangwei Li and Raj Verma examine how African governments can leverage dynamics of competition and convergence to strengthen their agency.

China in Africa: Shaping Economic Relations Through Subnational Actors

China’s engagement with Africa is significantly shaped by its subnational actors, especially provincial and local governments. This policy brief examines Zhejiang Province to explore its motivations and tactics, highlighting how it mobilizes city-level actors to foster stronger economic ties with Africa.

doi:10.18449/2025MTA-PB36

• Zum Volltext (PDF) | 416 KB

Chinese Media Engagement with Africa and the Role of African Agency

This policy brief delves into China's strategic media engagement across Africa, revealing a dynamic interplay of state and private efforts aimed at reshaping narratives and boosting China's influence. It emphasises the pivotal role of economic and regulatory landscapes, suggesting the necessity of fostering African media independence to safeguard against authoritarian tendencies.

doi:10.18449/2024MTA-PB26

• Zum Volltext (PDF) | 256 KB

Social Media Debates on Zambia’s Evolving Relations with the West and East

Social media debates on Zambia’s foreign policy are strongly polarized and focussed on two issues: (1) claims that the Zambian government is a puppet of the West and (2) concerns that the government is undermining Zambia’s long-held policy of non-alignment. These debates demonstrate the complexity of African agency and the domestic concerns that shape how African governments negotiate multipolarity.

doi:10.18449/2024MTA-PB21

• Zum Volltext (PDF) | 294 KB

• Karoline Eickhoff
• Rainer Thiele

Debt Relief in Africa: Conflicting Interests Between the West and China Hinder Multilateral Solutions

• Deutsch

Several African countries have defaulted on their debt, and more could follow. Multilateral solutions for debt relief are needed but are complicated by power struggles between the West and China, argue Karoline Eickhoff and Rainer Thiele on the occasion of the Paris Summit.