TY - JOUR

T1 - China in Africa

T2 - The Soft Power of Media Development

AU - Memon, Najamul Saqib

AU - Sandano, Imran Ali

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa, 2023.

PY - 2023/5/28

Y1 - 2023/5/28

N2 - Mass media has not only changed the mode of information-sharing but has also changed the mode of policy, foreign policy-making and people-topeople contact in being used as a means of soft power. This paper focuses on Chinese investment in the media sector of African countries and explores what motivates China’s huge investments in the African media landscape. The study is descriptive, based on primary and secondary sources of literature. Methodologically, it uses qualitative research through content analysis of ‘soft power politics’ and ‘public diplomacy’ theories. China’s media development assistance in Africa is a manifestation of the Chinese strategy of soft power politics and the application of public diplomacy. This study claims that China’s media development assistance programme is helping Africa to develop its media infrastructure, techniques of broadcasting and cultural exchanges, which influence African public opinion and offer media content that is entirely different from Western-dominated media groups. In return, this helps China to promote a positive image and win the hearts and minds of people on the African continent.

AB - Mass media has not only changed the mode of information-sharing but has also changed the mode of policy, foreign policy-making and people-topeople contact in being used as a means of soft power. This paper focuses on Chinese investment in the media sector of African countries and explores what motivates China’s huge investments in the African media landscape. The study is descriptive, based on primary and secondary sources of literature. Methodologically, it uses qualitative research through content analysis of ‘soft power politics’ and ‘public diplomacy’ theories. China’s media development assistance in Africa is a manifestation of the Chinese strategy of soft power politics and the application of public diplomacy. This study claims that China’s media development assistance programme is helping Africa to develop its media infrastructure, techniques of broadcasting and cultural exchanges, which influence African public opinion and offer media content that is entirely different from Western-dominated media groups. In return, this helps China to promote a positive image and win the hearts and minds of people on the African continent.

KW - Africa

KW - China

KW - development assistance

KW - media

KW - public diplomacy

KW - soft power

KW - Sustainability Governance

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85196497093&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.57054/ad.v48i4.5575

DO - 10.57054/ad.v48i4.5575

M3 - Journal articles

AN - SCOPUS:85196497093

VL - 48

SP - 81

EP - 102

JO - Africa Development

JF - Africa Development

SN - 0850-3907

IS - 4

ER -