Constructing Chinese Firms as Development Catalysts: State-Firm Public Diplomacy Collaboration in Kenya

Yabo Wu*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

The debate surrounding China's public diplomacy in Africa highlights how the state coordinates and leverages Chinese actors, including firms, to advance diplomatic objectives. However, this article questions the notion of unidirectional state dominance by exploring the intricate interactions between the Chinese state and firms around promoting and publicizing corporate social responsibility (CSR), which is conceptualized as a public diplomacy tool of corporations to engage with the foreign public. Using the lens of public diplomacy, the author examines the unconventional state-firm interplay in the symbolic domain, shedding light on practices of China's expansion in Africa. Through two empirical cases, the author demonstrates the interdependence and collaboration between the Chinese state and firms, revealing their divided interests and contested cooperative efforts to enact public diplomacy in Kenya.
Original languageEnglish
Number of pages16
JournalJournal of Contemporary China
DOIs
Publication statusE-pub ahead of print - 5 Aug 2024

Keywords

  • Public diplomacy
  • corporate social responsibility
  • Kenya-China
  • development cooperation
  • CORPORATE SOCIAL-RESPONSIBILITY
  • AFRICA
  • ROAD
  • GLOBALIZATION
  • IMAGE
  • BELT

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