Browsing by Subject "China"

Now showing 1 - 10 of 10
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    A Framing Analysis of #MeToo YouTube-based News Coverage in BRICS: Media Censorship, State-controlled Channels & the Obstruction of Online Feminist Activism in China, Russia and Brazil
    (2021) Hoareau, Charlotte; Ntunja, Tando
    This comparative study investigates the media representation of YouTube-based news about the #MeToo campaign, feminism, and sexual harassment accounts in three BRICS nations: China, Russia and Brazil. The situation of women in the Global South was at the centre of discussions during the 2018 BRICS summit. While their security remains a persistent issue, officials declared that women should not feel unsafe while participating in economic activity. Although the bloc flagged gender disparities as a significant concern, media outlets perceive Russia, Brazil and China's responses to sexism and gender-based violence as inadequate. Various mechanisms also compromise activism for women's rights. This research focuses on the YouTube representation of conditions which gave rise to the campaign and the process of #MeToo in BRICS. This study considers the level of inclusion of women in economic activity, the procedures established for their safety as well as the extent of media freedom, including tools available for feminist advocacy. In addition to revealing gaps in depiction and proposing solutions for improved media framing, this research is significant because the role and repercussions of this viral campaign must be comprehended better in BRICS economies. Academics focused mainly on the impact of the movement in the West. However, the innovative feminist trend rapidly spread to non-western nations that are dominant emerging economies, showing the gravity of sexual harassment and gender disparities globally. Furthermore, the extent to which #MeToo had influenced localised iterations of anti-assault movements in these emerging countries suggests that the BRICS became sites where sexual abuse and gender inequalities unfold singularly in comparison to other nations. The study presents findings from primary research done on the BRICS, this online social movement #MeToo and related gender dynamics issues. After a presentation of the selected study design, the research provides results from a content analysis of thirty YouTube news reports (October 2017-March 2019).
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    Can a state-owned bank be a catalyst for financial inclusion and economic development in South Africa? Lessons from China and India
    (2025) Doko, Nkosindiphile; Makoni, Patricia Lindelwa
    The role of state-owned banks in the banking sector as well as countries' economic development is an important topic for debate. It should not be left to the private sector to address market failures. Several studies have been conducted on the role of banking in economic development, however few have examined the role of state-owned banks in financial inclusion and economic development, or the conditions required for the successful establishment and operation of a state-owned bank. The main objective of this study was to draw lessons from China and India as emerging economies that have been able to successfully establish and operate state-owned banks and use them as instruments to improve financial inclusion and economic development. To that end, the researcher produced a conceptual framework that can be used in South Africa to establish a state-owned bank. The research was carried out using qualitative documentary analysis to obtain secondary data from academic papers, central bank reports and statistics. The results of the study reveal that a clear government policy and political support are important conditions for the successful establishment of a state-owned bank (SOB), as these allow for the creation of enabling laws and a supportive regulatory environment. The study also found that SOBs have the capacity to expand the accessibility of their financial services nationwide using both physical and digital infrastructure. The success of SOBs in China and India – two BRICs countries – demonstrates that these banks will continue to play an important role in the world's banking industry and can positively contribute to the financial inclusion and economic development of these countries. The study therefore recommends that South Africa's policymakers consider the conceptual framework devised to establish an effective SOB that can help improve the level of financial inclusion and economic development in the country.
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    China's development finance for cross-border infrastructure: an East African perspective on its role in advancing developmental regionalism and regional integration.
    (2025) Seyuba, Samukumba Mbanje; Ismail, Faizel
    This study explores whether China's development finance has contributed to regional integration in East Africa. The main research question is: has China's development finance of infrastructure projects contributed to developmental regionalism? This was supported by the sub question: has China's development finance of the Addis-Djibouti railway contributed to regional/development integration in East Africa? The study used a qualitative method and a single case study design. The Addis-Djibouti Railway (ADR) was facilitated by Chinese concessional loans to construct a cross-border railway project. The project addresses Ethiopia's landlocked status and enhances trade connectivity with Djibouti. A thematic analysis of the findings derived from six participants resulted in three themes: a) the African and Chinese approach to development finance; b) the contribution to regional integration in East Africa, and c) the contribution to developmental regionalism. The findings derived from these themes illustrate that the Addis-Djibouti Railway supports economic ties between these two nations. However, its broader impact on regional integration is limited by political instability, fragmented financing, and governance challenges. The study highlights that while China's infrastructure investments align with regional goals like the East African Railway Master Plan, they face significant barriers such as co-financing complexities and inadequate local capacity. Ultimately, the research reveals that while the railway enhances transportation and economic connectivity, the effective implementation of developmental regionalism requires the integration of both hard infrastructure—such as physical transportation networks—and soft infrastructure, including the institutional frameworks, governance mechanisms, and social systems necessary to support and sustain these physical assets. The study finds that the theoretical framework of developmental regionalism and its four pillars would allow for strategic planning and alignment with long-term regional goals which would maximize developmental benefits and foster deeper integration in East Africa.
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    Chinese FDI in Sub Saharan Africa: engaging with large dragons
    (Palgrave Macmillan, 2009) Kaplinsky, Raphael; Morris, Mike
    In the context of widespread interest in the impact of Chinese investment in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), this paper focuses on SSA's engagement with large state-owned Chinese firms investing in SSA's resource and infrastructure sectors. Evidence is provided on the extent of different types of Chinese investment, before focusing on the distinctive character of large scale state-owned Chinese investors whose investments are closely bundled with aid and trade. The paper concludes that SSA countries should maximise the opportunities opened to them by their resource-base by adopting a similarly integrated and focused response to Chinese (and other large) investors who seek to draw on the continent's natural resources.
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    Is China “crowding out” South African exports of manufacturers
    (2015-05-28) Jenkins, Rhys; Edwards, Lawrence
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    Pearl River Tower - Sustainable Design
    (2014-08-18) Sanya, Tom; Tsankov, Lazar
    Constructivism: Lecturer guidance, student teamwork and creative engagement with information sources to formulate a logical whole. Pearl River Tower pushes the boundaries of sustainable design. Information on the tower is organised on a wiki in easily navigable categories with lots of clear explanatory diagrams. From the site, there are also links to external web resources on the building such as youtube, the architect's office etc For anyone interesting in sustainable design for highrise building, this resource is worth a vist.
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    The impact of Chinese import penetration on the South African manufacturing sector
    (2015-05-28) Edwards, Lawrence; Jenkins, Rhys
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    The Impact of Import Competition from China on the Skill-Bias of Manufacturing Employment across South African Regions between 2001 and 2011
    (2019) Matumba, Diana Mukovhe; Edwards, Lawrence; Lepelle, Refilwe
    South Africa and China established their first official diplomatic ties in 1998. A decade later in 2008 China had become South Africa’s largest bilateral trade partner which presents both complementary and competitive outcomes for the South African labour market. This study explores the competitive outcomes, particularly the impact that China has had on the skill bias of manufacturing employment within South Africa’s local municipalities between 2001 and 2011. The study follows on from two theories of trade: the Heckscher-Ohlin theory with its Stopler-Samuelson theorem, and specific factor theories. The identification method employed in this study was developed by Autor, Dorn and Hansen (2013) and seeks to exploit variation across South African municipalities which stems from initial differences in industry specialisation and instrumenting for South African imports using changes in Chinese imports by other low- and middle-income countries. The data used in the current study is from the UN Comtrade as well as South African population census data from 1996, 2001 and 2011. This study makes two main contributions to the literature by looking at the impact that import competition has on manufacturing employment in local labour markets, and how this impact varies by skill set and gender. The main finding of the study was that Chinese import exposure was biased against low-skilled workers as it resulted loss of employment for the low-skilled workers, and had a minimal effect on the employment of high-skilled workers.
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    The role of China's 'one belt one road initiative' project in interdependence relations between China and Africa: the case of Ethiopia and South Africa from 1994 to 2019
    (2025) Yildiz, Fatma; Vawda, Mehmood
    China often claims that its presence in Africa is one of solidarity with previous liberation struggles and post-independence countries trying to remove the remnants of colonialism's shackles. Indeed their developmental role, it is claimed, is to achieve this end through a relationship of respect for the sovereignty of states and equality of political relationships and economic development objectives. This study delves into the asymmetrical interdependence relations between China and African countries, particularly Ethiopia and South Africa, within the framework of the "China's One Belt One Road Initiative" (BRI) Project, which claims to enhance connectivity and economic cooperation between Asia, Europe, and Africa. It focuses on the period 1994 to 2019. The study draws on theories of international relations, interdependence, dependency and soft power to provide valuable insights into China's political and economic relationships with these two African countries. These theories offer a focused perspective, enabling us to explore the political and economic factors that underpin these bilateral relations. China's investments, infrastructure projects, loans, aid, and trade in Africa, especially in Ethiopia and South Africa, remain the key pillars of the asymmetrical nature of interdependence relations. It shows the sensitivity and vulnerability of these respective states and their economies and the trend toward greater dependency of African countries on China. China's relations with Ethiopia and South Africa have both successes and limitations. Ethiopia is highly dependent on China due to China's significant investments in the manufacturing and infrastructure sectors, which could lead to a debt trap due to a shortage of credit and loan opportunities from the World Bank, IMF, and Europe, as well as a trade deficit. South Africa, on the other hand, is less reliant on China due to its financial strength, but it is dependent on trade with China, which is dominated by exporting raw materials and importing finished goods, as well as China's public debt. Overall, China has strong interests in maintaining good relations with Africa, particularly Ethiopia and South Africa, for access to raw materials and agricultural products, a growing market for Chinese goods, and diplomatic influence and support, so it appears less reliant and more dominant in its mutual relations with these two African countries. In addition, Ethiopia and South Africa's political and economic significance within the broader context of the BRI provides China with an opportunity to deepen its relationships with Africa as a whole. On the other hand, solidarity and an equal relationship may begin to slip into dependence. Hence, this asymmetrical interdependence relationship may lead to an increasing trend toward dependence relationships due to China's rising economic influence and financial control over Ethiopia and South Africa.