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Donor x FlexibilityRecent andtopics: Security in the People’s Republic of China J Towards Architecture:China’s Integration Learning into from the AidChinese Donor Participation in x Democratization of the PR China and Military Conflict in the Architecture: Learning from Chinese Participation in x Democratizationx FlexibilityTaiwan and of Strait theSecurity PR Chi in nathe and People’s Military Republic Conflict of in Chinathe J TowardsInternational China’s IntegrationRegimes into the Aid Donor Taiwan Strait InternationalArchitecture: Regimes Learning from Chinese Participation in x Democratizationx The Politics of China’sthe PR Chi‘Greenna and GDP’ Military Conflict in the x The PoliticsTaiwan of Strait China’s ‘Green GDP’ International Regimes x New Media, Sexual Politics, Ethics and State Control J x Newx Media,The Politics Sexual of China’sPolitics, ‘GreenEthics andGDP’ State Control Contours of China’s “Africa Mode” and Who May J ContoursBenefit of China’s “Africa Mode” and Who May x New Media, Sexual Politics, Ethics and State Control BenefitJ Editors: Karsten Giese • Heike Holbig Contours of China’s “Africa Mode” and Who May Editors: Karsten Giese • Heike Holbig BenefitJ Beyond the New “Two Whateverisms”: China’s Ties in GIGA German Institute of Global and Area Studies J Beyond theAfrica New “Two Whateverisms”: China’s Ties in GIGA Editors:GermanInstitute Karsten Institute of AsianGiese of Global Studies • Heike and Holbig Area Studies Institute of RothenbaumchausseeAsian Studies 32 • 20148 Hamburg • Germany AfricaJ Beyond the New “Two Whateverisms”: China’s Ties in GIGA German Institute of Global and Area Studies RothenbaumchausseePhone: +49 4032 4288740• 20148 Hamburg • Fax: +49 • Germany40 4107945 J Taiwans Energiepolitik: Klimaschutz ist sekundär Institute of Asian Studies Africa Phone: +49Website: 40 4288740 www.giga-hamburg.de • Fax: +49 40 4107945 J Taiwans Energiepolitik: Klimaschutz ist sekundär Rothenbaumchaussee 32 • 20148 Hamburg • Germany Website: www.giga-hamburg.de J Taiwans Energiepolitik: Klimaschutz ist sekundär Phone: +49 40 4288740 • Fax: +49 40 4107945 J Website: www.giga-hamburg.de China aktuell Data Supplement J China aktuellwww.giga-hamburg.de/ias/cds Data Supplement www.giga-hamburg.de/ias/cdsJ China aktuell Data Supplement www.giga-hamburg.de/ias/cds ISSN 0341-6631 ISSN 0341-6631 ISSN 0341-6631 9 9 China aktuell 3/2008 9 Studie China-Africa Relations through the Prism of Culture – The Dynamics of China’s Cultural Diplomacy with Africa Haifang Liu Abstract China’s use of cultural diplomacy dates back almost to the beginning of the founding of the People’s Republic of China; it is not something invented by the Chinese government in the last few years, as the popular myth of China’s engagement in Africa via a well-established “grand geopolitical strategy” suggests.This study begins by providing a deeper historical understanding of China’s diplomacy and China’s Africa policy, and discusses at length the importance of cultural diplomacy as a path breaker and a lasting instrument of foreign policy. Focusing on several cases of current cultural diplomacy, the second half of the article explains the underlying reasons for and functions of these prominent practices, concluding that cultural diplomacy is a useful prism through which to observe the very nature of Sino-African relations and that the study of it is the right way to explore the special diplomatic culture the Chinese government has been practising.(Manuscript received February 26, 2008; accepted for publication April 3, 2008) Keywords: China, Sino-African relations, cultural diplomacy, cultural strategy, affinity to the people The Author Dr. Haifang Liu is a researcher at the Institute of West Asian