China’s Digital Communications Strategy in Africa: Preliminary Perspectives from Zimbabwe and Kenya

This research examines China’s digital communications and infrastructure initiatives in Africa through a comparative analysis of Kenya and Zimbabwe. While existing scholarship has emphasized Africa’s structural dependence in the digital sector, relatively limited attention has been given to how domestic political, economic, and social contexts shape the outcomes of Chinese digital cooperation (Kwet, 2019; Nothias, 2020; Gagliardone, 2019; Atlantic Council DFRLab, 2023). To address this gap, the research investigates five interrelated questions focusing on: the motivations underpinning China’s interventions; the main characteristics of its strategies in Kenya and Zimbabwe; their political, economic, and social impacts; how these impacts are distributed across actors and sectors; and the broader implications for African autonomy and the trajectory of China–Africa digital cooperation. Methodologically, the study adopts a qualitative comparative case study design, combining semi-structured interviews with three regional experts and extensive secondary evidence from policy documents, official reports, and international datasets. The analysis is thematically organised and informed by theoretical perspectives from political economy, soft power, geopolitics, and the digital divide. Findings show that deterministic dependency frameworks alone cannot explain China’s interventions. Outcomes were mediated by domestic conditions, including regulatory capacity, fiscal constraints, media freedom, and civil society engagement. While Chinese-backed infrastructure projects narrowed aspects of the digital divide, concerns about surveillance, data governance, and vendor lock-in complicated public trust and policy debates. The evidence demonstrates that African ownership and agency are decisive mediating variables, indicating that China’s digital strategies were negotiated within—rather than imposed upon—national contexts. By bridging structural dependency and domestic agency, the study contributes to debates on digital geopolitics and China–Africa relations. It also provides policy insights for African governments seeking to leverage external investment while safeguarding digital sovereignty, inclusive governance, and sustainable.

Name dc:type.qualificationname

M.Phil.

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

MPhil thesis

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

University of Westminster

Year dc:date.issued

2025

Author dc:creator

• Wang, Xiaohan

Advisors dc:contributor.advisor

• Mano, W.
• Xin, X.

Identifier

oai:westminsterresearch.westminster.ac.uk:x3v01

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:westminsterresearch.westminster.ac.uk:x3v01