Book contents
- Competing for Soft Power
- Competing for Soft Power
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Figures and Tables
- Preface and Acknowledgments
- Part I Theoretical and Contextual Foundations
- 1 Introduction
- 2 Africa in China’s Quest for Global Image and Recognition
- Part II China’s Image-Making Mechanisms in Ethiopia
- Part III Transnational and Comparative Perspectives
- Book part
- Bibliography
- Index
1 - Introduction
Grasping China’s Uneven Image-Making
from Part I - Theoretical and Contextual Foundations
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 12 June 2026
Book contents
- Competing for Soft Power
- Competing for Soft Power
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Figures and Tables
- Preface and Acknowledgments
- Part I Theoretical and Contextual Foundations
- 1 Introduction
- 2 Africa in China’s Quest for Global Image and Recognition
- Part II China’s Image-Making Mechanisms in Ethiopia
- Part III Transnational and Comparative Perspectives
- Book part
- Bibliography
- Index
Summary
Chapter 1 grounds this study in larger policy and theoretical debates, including literature on US-China competition, China’s authoritarian diffusion, South–South communication flows, and China–Africa relations. It further introduces the analytical and conceptual framework of this study: China’s uneven image-making in Africa, which includes its ambitious image promotion mechanisms, as well as disjointed implementation and reception on the ground. The chapter also explains the methodological choices, including the focus on Ethiopia and Global China ethnographic approach.
Keywords
Information
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Competing for Soft PowerChina’s Image Making in Africa, pp. 3 - 34Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2026
Accessibility standard: WCAG 2.1 AA
Why this information is here
This section outlines the accessibility features of this content - including support for screen readers, full keyboard navigation and high-contrast display options. This may not be relevant for you.Accessibility Information
The HTML of this chapter
complies with version 2.1 of the
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines
(WCAG), covering newer accessibility requirements and improved
user experiences and achieves the intermediate
(AA)
level of WCAG compliance, covering a wider range of accessibility requirements.
Content Navigation
Table of contents navigation
Allows you to navigate directly to chapters, sections, or non‐text items through a linked table of contents, reducing the need for extensive scrolling.
Allows you to navigate directly to chapters, sections, or non‐text items through a linked table of contents, reducing the need for extensive scrolling.
Index navigation
Provides an interactive index, letting you go straight to where a term or subject appears in the text without manual searching.
Provides an interactive index, letting you go straight to where a term or subject appears in the text without manual searching.
Reading Order & Textual Equivalents
Single logical reading order
You will encounter all content (including footnotes, captions, etc.) in a clear, sequential flow, making it easier to follow with assistive tools like screen readers.
You will encounter all content (including footnotes, captions, etc.) in a clear, sequential flow, making it easier to follow with assistive tools like screen readers.
Short alternative textual descriptions
You get concise descriptions (for images, charts, or media clips), ensuring you do not miss crucial information when visual or audio elements are not accessible.
You get concise descriptions (for images, charts, or media clips), ensuring you do not miss crucial information when visual or audio elements are not accessible.
Visual Accessibility
Use of colour is not sole means of conveying information
You will still understand key ideas or prompts without relying solely on colour, which is especially helpful if you have colour vision deficiencies.
You will still understand key ideas or prompts without relying solely on colour, which is especially helpful if you have colour vision deficiencies.
Structural and Technical Features
ARIA roles provided
You gain clarity from ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) roles and attributes, as they help assistive technologies interpret how each part of the content functions.
You gain clarity from ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) roles and attributes, as they help assistive technologies interpret how each part of the content functions.