Abstract:Abstract:This article examines the motive behind China's increased activities in Ethiopia in recent years and concludes that it lies in Ethiopia's perceived diplomatic usefulness. If China's relations with many African countries could be described as one of “infrastructure for natural resources,” the Sino-Ethiopian relationship can be described “infrastructure for diplomatic support.” After exploring the nature and scope of Ethiopia's relations with China and highlighting areas of divergence of interest, the a… Show more
“…The Ethiopian government's relations with Beijing, which began in 1970, intensified around the turn of the century, when China came to present a welcome alternative to Western countries criticizing the administration for human rights abuses and bad governance, especially in the aftermath of the 2005 and 2010 national elections (e.g., Abbink ; Adem ). With its miraculous rise from the ashes of the Cultural Revolution, China testified that poor countries can become affluent and offered an alternative model of development, which was embraced by late Prime Minister Meles Zenawi (; see also Arkebe ; Fourie ).…”
In Ethiopia, the growing Chinese presence has inspired lively debate, often with an edge of humor.Corruption is one of the recurring topics in amusing narratives that circulate on and off the Chinese-run building sites that have emerged across the Ethiopian landscape over the past two decades. While humorous corruption stories hint at the possibility of corruption and introduce the audience to the cultural codes of conduct, corrupt practices, equally aided by laughter, create instances of collaboration and complicity. Corruption in cross-cultural encounters serves as a lens through which to imagine the Other and evaluate their behavior, and by drawing those complicit in corrupt transactions into shared (im)moral worlds, it generates opportunities for rapprochement. [corruption, humor, encounter, Ethiopia, China] RESUMEN La presencia creciente china en Etiopía ha inspirado un debate animado acerca de la presencia china entre los etíopes a través de Etiopía, a menudo con un lado humorístico. Corrupción es uno de los tópicos recurrente en narrativas divertidas que circulan de forma discontinua a través de sitios de construcción manejados por chinos que han emergido a través del paisaje de Etiopía durante las dos décadas pasadas. Mientras historias humorísticas de corrupción insinúan la posibilidad de corrupción e introducen la audiencia a los códigos culturales de conducta, prácticas corruptas, igualmente ayudados por risa, crean instancias de colaboración y complicidad. La corrupción en encuentros interculturales sirve como un lente a través del cual imaginar al otro y evaluar su conducta, y al atraer a aquellos cómplices en transacciones corruptas dentro de mundos (in)morales compartidos, se generan oportunidades de acercamiento. [corrupción, humor, encuentro,
“…The Ethiopian government's relations with Beijing, which began in 1970, intensified around the turn of the century, when China came to present a welcome alternative to Western countries criticizing the administration for human rights abuses and bad governance, especially in the aftermath of the 2005 and 2010 national elections (e.g., Abbink ; Adem ). With its miraculous rise from the ashes of the Cultural Revolution, China testified that poor countries can become affluent and offered an alternative model of development, which was embraced by late Prime Minister Meles Zenawi (; see also Arkebe ; Fourie ).…”
In Ethiopia, the growing Chinese presence has inspired lively debate, often with an edge of humor.Corruption is one of the recurring topics in amusing narratives that circulate on and off the Chinese-run building sites that have emerged across the Ethiopian landscape over the past two decades. While humorous corruption stories hint at the possibility of corruption and introduce the audience to the cultural codes of conduct, corrupt practices, equally aided by laughter, create instances of collaboration and complicity. Corruption in cross-cultural encounters serves as a lens through which to imagine the Other and evaluate their behavior, and by drawing those complicit in corrupt transactions into shared (im)moral worlds, it generates opportunities for rapprochement. [corruption, humor, encounter, Ethiopia, China] RESUMEN La presencia creciente china en Etiopía ha inspirado un debate animado acerca de la presencia china entre los etíopes a través de Etiopía, a menudo con un lado humorístico. Corrupción es uno de los tópicos recurrente en narrativas divertidas que circulan de forma discontinua a través de sitios de construcción manejados por chinos que han emergido a través del paisaje de Etiopía durante las dos décadas pasadas. Mientras historias humorísticas de corrupción insinúan la posibilidad de corrupción e introducen la audiencia a los códigos culturales de conducta, prácticas corruptas, igualmente ayudados por risa, crean instancias de colaboración y complicidad. La corrupción en encuentros interculturales sirve como un lente a través del cual imaginar al otro y evaluar su conducta, y al atraer a aquellos cómplices en transacciones corruptas dentro de mundos (in)morales compartidos, se generan oportunidades de acercamiento. [corrupción, humor, encuentro,
“…Then Ethiopian prime minister Meles Zenawi, whose Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front party had grasped power in 1991, made an important visit to China in 1995. A series of important agreements on trade and economic and technical cooperation followed (Shinn 2014;Venkatamaran and Gofie 2015), helping to set the foundations for today's rapidly intensifying economic ties between the two countries (see Adem 2012).…”
Section: Mid-1990s To 2010: Going Out With the Trinity Of Aid Trade mentioning
“…It has now been proved the development paradigm in China has its own specific advantages …Chinese transformation disproved the pessimistic attitude that was, “if you are poor once, you are likely to be poor forever.” Meles Zenawi, Prime Minister of Ethiopia between 1995 and 2012 (cited in Adem, ).…”
Section: “Global China(s)” In Ethiopia: Building the Diplomatic Capitmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…The Tigran People's Liberation Front, the founding and dominant party of EPRDF, had long-standing affiliations with China's Maoist ideology (Fourie, 2015), which provided an important foundation for collaboration between the two countries. High-profile visits between China and Ethiopia have become routine since the late 1990s, and the majority of Ethiopian elites are optimistic about the Chinese development model (Adem, 2012). In addition, as a founding member and host country of the African Union, Ethiopia's political and diplomatic importance in Africa ensures its strategic position on China's global investment agenda (Eisenman & Kurlantzick, 2006).…”
Section: Diplomatic Capital In East Africamentioning
Studies on China–Africa co‐operation have revealed increasing diversification of China's on‐the‐ground practices in Africa. However, engaged research has yet to examine the situated experiences of Chinese and African individuals whose activities shape and are shaped by Chinese multinationals, especially those in the growing yet underexplored high‐tech sectors. To address this gap, this article investigates the workplace regimes of two Chinese companies in Ethiopia. Using a mixed‐method approach, it articulates the contradictory nature of Chinese investment and its diverse manifestations in work relations between Chinese expatriates and local Ethiopians. Our findings suggest that Chinese and Ethiopian employees are proactive yet constrained agents in exploiting work opportunities for their own economic interests and professional development.
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