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African Affairs 102:447-467 (2003)
© 2003 The Royal African Society

Article

Close encounters: Chinese business networks as industrial catalysts in Sub-Saharan Africa

Deborah Bräutigam

Deborah Bräutigam is Associate Professor in the International Development Program, School of International Service, American University, Washington, DC.

Chinese business networks form an important (and well-studied) component of transnational industrial capitalism in East and South-east Asia. Yet almost no attention has been paid to the dynamics of the growing role of Chinese networks as catalysts for industrial development in sub-Saharan Africa. This article explores two contrasting cases, in Mauritius and in Nigeria. In a hostile or indifferent policy environment such as that of Nigeria, and in a locale where there were no resident overseas Chinese, the Asia-Africa linkages remained limited to information, input supply, consulting services, and technical assistance. In contrast, in the encouraging policy environment of Mauritius, which also had a sizeable overseas Chinese population, transnational Asian capitalists created strong connections with local capital (Asian and other), invested in joint ventures, and formed part of a successful export-oriented industrialization. These cases suggest that, as Asian business networks expand their global reach to sub-Saharan Africa, they can provide an important catalyst for local industrialization.


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