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African Perceptions of Trade Partners: A Ghanaian and Togolese Perspective of Sino-African Relations

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  • Akorkor Kehinde Awoonor
  • Joseph Ato Forson

Abstract

Studies on perception in both development studies and international relations have shown that most nations have mutual perceptions predicated on and influenced by either fact, biases or stereotypes, or a combination of other identifiable qualitative variables. In this study, we explore and demonstrate that African perceptions differ from country to country and are well influenced by factors such as the country of origin, the knowledge base and orientation towards China. The connection between Africa and China is long etched in history (206 bce to 220 ce ) evidenced by a series of cultural and trade exchanges between China and Egypt, and long since antiquated in historical records by the Chinese traveller, Du Huan, of the Tang Dynasty. With a combination of primary and secondary data collected via social survey using google forms with questionnaires administered to participants of 10 and 6 tertiary institutions in Ghana and Togo, respectively, and bolstered with documentary evidence, we find that there are no singular overarching African perceptions of China, as the African continent is a 55-state region with diverse conflicting political, economic and sociocultural proclivities. The study further observed that compared to Togolese, more Ghanaians perceive China to be a goodwill partner predicated on its involvement on public health emergencies of international concerns (PHEIC) and influence on national economies through debt reliefs and other form of assistance.

Suggested Citation

  • Akorkor Kehinde Awoonor & Joseph Ato Forson, 2020. "African Perceptions of Trade Partners: A Ghanaian and Togolese Perspective of Sino-African Relations," Insight on Africa, , vol. 12(2), pages 104-128, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:inafri:v:12:y:2020:i:2:p:104-128
    DOI: 10.1177/0975087820923995
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Lyons, Michal & Brown, Alison, 2010. "Has Mercantilism Reduced Urban Poverty in SSA? Perception of Boom, Bust, and the China-Africa Trade in Lomé and Bamako," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 38(5), pages 771-782, May.
    2. Jean-Claude Maswana, 2009. "Can China Trigger Economic Growth in Africa?," Chinese Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 42(2), pages 91-105, March.
    3. Ronald I. McKinnon, 2010. "China in Africa: The Washington Consensus versus the Beijing Consensus," International Finance, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 13(3), pages 495-506, December.
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    Cited by:

    1. Forson, Joseph Ato & Braimah, Awaisu Imurana & Awoonor, Akorkor Kehinde, 2016. "African Perceptions of Donor Agencies: Emerging developments in Sino-African relations," MPRA Paper 102171, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 18 Jan 2019.
    2. Awaisu Imurana Braimah & Joseph Ato Forson, 2023. "Ref lections on Democracy and Development in Africa: A Hew Trail of Political Reforms," Insight on Africa, , vol. 15(2), pages 218-232, July.
    3. Forson, Joseph Ato & Opoku, Rosemary Afrakomah & Peng, Zhen, 2017. "Innovation, Institutions and Economic Growth in Sub-Sahara Africa – an IV Estimation of a Panel Threshold Model," MPRA Paper 103063, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 15 Mar 2018.
    4. Baah-Ennumh, Theresa Yaaba & Forson, Joseph Ato, 2015. "The Impact of Artisanal Small-Scale Mining on Sustainable Livelihoods: A Case Study of Mining Communities in the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipality of Ghana," MPRA Paper 102491, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 15 Sep 2016.

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