No. 05 | 12.03.2021

Member of the 29th Chinese medical brigade to Zanzibar and a local doctor in Tanzania, 1 August 2019 [Xinhua]


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Geopolitics

57-year history of Chinese medical exchanges and support in Africa refutes accusations of “vaccine diplomacy,” according to Washington Post

21,000 Chinese doctors have treated 220 million patients in 48 countries and 130 medical facilities were built with Chinese assistance (1963-2018), playing a major role in the fight against malaria, Ebola and Covid-19

See study:
The Nordic Africa Institute, 2011

Economy

China’s East African infrastructure projects take lead from local regulations rather than Chinese government directives, says expert

Results from the Kenyan Nairobi-Mombasa railroad (US $26.4 billion) and the Addis Ababa (Ethiopia)-Djibouti railroad reveal Chinese companies adapt to host country’s guidance on trade regulations, which are sometimes less stringent than China’s

See study:
World Development, 2021

Chinese companies in Africa work to integrate corporate social responsibility with business objectives, but cultural and political differences remain

⅔ of the 1,000 companies in McKinsey survey of 8 countries (2017) offered vocational training and employed majority Africans (89%), but reputation of Chinese firms needs improvement; 10,000 Chinese companies invested US $300 billion (2005-17)