29 October 2024

China’s Battle for Narratives in Africa

Samir Bhattacharya and Yuvvraj Singh

In 2014, during the Central Conference on Work Relating to Foreign Affairs in Beijing, Chinese President Xi Jinping advocated for strengthening China’s soft power globally by improving how the country communicates its message. In the subsequent years, Chinese state-controlled media focused on cultural investments and international cooperation, establishing marketing networks and expanding the reach of quality cultural assets abroad, particularly in Africa.

China has built narratives to its advantage in a region that has increasingly become a theater of great power rivalry, amid what The Economist has termed as “The New Scramble for Africa.”

China’s African Outreach

China’s information campaigns in Africa are subtle, focusing on economic issues and promoting a positive narrative around its investments, mainly of the Belt and Road Initiative. State-controlled media outlets like Xinhua, China Daily, China Radio International (CRI), and CGTN (formerly CCTV International) play a vital role in this narrative.


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