← The China in Africa Podcast
A Turbulent Week for China-Africa Media Narratives artwork

A Turbulent Week for China-Africa Media Narratives

The China in Africa Podcast
S16 E5401:07:28
Play episode

Show notes

Over the past week, sharply contrasting images of Chinese engagement in Africa surfaced online. Anger erupted on social media over the release of yet another violent video that shows Congolese soldiers brutally beating local miners purportedly at the behest of Chinese nationals watching in the background. A controversial hour-long documentary by one of Zambia's leading newspapers also sparked a lot of discussion over the labor and environmental records of Chinese mining companies in the country. The Chinese embassy in Lusaka denounced the program as "biased" and containing "hidden motives." Meanwhile, in China, a 15-second teaser of a new blockbuster movie also dropped this week that looks like it's set in a fictitious North African country, while popular Chinese travel vlogger Zhang Jun released a visually stunning 2.5-hour-long documentary on the Congolese fashion scene known as "La Sape." Eric, Géraud & Cobus discuss these various clips and shows that emerged this week and what they reveal about the evolution of China-Africa media narratives. SHOW NOTES: Justicia ABSL: Violent beating of Congolese miners by FARDC soldiers News Diggers: China: The Good, the Bad and the Dangerous Movie Trailer: 用武之地/The Point of No Return The Fashion Bible: Congo's "La Sape" Fashion Culture Through the Unlikely Lens of a Chinese Vlogger JOIN THE DISCUSSION: X: @ChinaGSProject | @eric_olander | @stadenesque | @christiangeraud Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChinaAfricaProject YouTube: www.youtube.com/@ChinaGlobalSouth Now on Bluesky! Follow CGSP at @chinagsproject.bsky.social FOLLOW CGSP IN FRENCH AND ARABIC: Français: www.projetafriquechine.com | @AfrikChine Arabic: عربي: www.alsin-alsharqalawsat.com | @SinSharqAwsat JOIN US ON PATREON! Become a CGSP Patreon member and get all sorts of cool stuff, including our Week in Review report, an invitation to join monthly Zoom calls with Eric & Cobus, and even an awesome new CGSP Podcast mug! www.patreon.com/chinaglobalsouth

More from this show

More
  1. Why Africa Matters to China

    China is deepening its engagement with Africa as geopolitical competition intensifies, with President Xi Jinping meeting the leaders of Botswana and Togo in Beijing. The visits hig…

    S16 E4201:01:40
  2. China, Africa and the Fight Against Telecom Fraud

    China-Africa security cooperation is expanding beyond military ties into cross-border law enforcement, as Chinese-linked telecom fraud operations spread across Africa. Joint invest…

    S16 E4157:30
  3. Hidden Uranium in DRC Cobalt Exports to China: Is It a Problem?

    The DRC's cobalt industry is also moving uranium through global supply chains, creating a problem that extends beyond critical-minerals security. Researchers estimate that 2,000–5,…

    S16 E4041:45
  4. China, Taiwan and the Somaliland Question

    China's engagement across Africa is increasingly shaped by both high-level geopolitics and competition in everyday markets. Somalia's renewed ties with Beijing are being driven in…

    S16 E3942:48
  5. Kenyan President Orders Crackdown on Foreigners in Small Businesses, Including Chinese

    Kenya's crackdown on foreigners operating small businesses has put Chinese traders at the center of a wider debate over competition, immigration, and economic opportunity. Presiden…

    S16 E3858:45
  6. Is China Decolonizing African Media or Expanding Its Influence?

    China's influence in Africa's media landscape increasingly operates through content-sharing agreements, journalist training, paid placements, and support for local broadcasters. Th…

    S16 E3754:28
Now Playing
The China in Africa Podcast — A Turbulent Week for China-Africa Media Narratives | Podcast | Josplay Music