Zambian Bureaucratic Practices in Chinese-Financed Digital Projects

Zambian bureaucrats have engaged with Chinese-financed digital projects under both the Edgar Lungu and Hakainde Hichilema administrations. Hangwei Li argues that the political transition widened the scope for bureaucratic manoeuvre in project management, yet these gains remained limited.

doi:10.18449/2026MTA-PB49

• Zum Volltext (PDF) | 280 KB

• 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.

• Benedikt Erforth
• Roukaya Kasenally
• Hangwei Li

India's Engagement with Mauritius amid the New Maritime Geopolitics

India’s growing footprint in the Indian Ocean is reshaping the partnership with Mauritius. This policy brief explores how Mauritius can balance deepening ties with India while safeguarding strategic autonomy amid rising regional competition.

doi:10.18449/2025MTA-PB44

• Zum Volltext (PDF) | 264 KB

• Christine Hackenesch
• Tobias Heidland
• Denis M. Tull (Hg.)

Leverage and Limits: What African Actors Make of the New Multipolarity

Africa is entering a new era of multipolarity, with global powers competing to become key partners to the continent. This study analyses the different facets of multipolarity and how African actors respond to both opportunities and constraints arising from the growing interest of foreign actors.

doi:10.18449/2025MTA-WP21

• Zum Volltext (PDF) | 2,0 MB

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

• Hangwei Li
• Christine Hackenesch

FOCAC 2024: Abkehr von großen Infrastrukturprojekten, hin zu China als normative Macht

• Englisch

Der FOCAC-Aktionsplan für Peking (2025-2027) enthält konkrete Ziele für die Beziehungen zwischen China und Afrika. Welche aktuellen Trends prägen diese Partnerschaft, und welche Auswirkungen könnten sie auf die Zusammenarbeit zwischen Europa und Afrika haben?