Africa (Commonwealth) _ Who is going to win the Africa Cup of Nations is still up in the air. China, however, has already been victorious in the competition. Beijing is giving stadiums to countries like Ivory Coast, which is hosting the competition this year, in an effort to increase its influence on the continent. This showcases outstanding demonstration of diplomacy of China in its international politics.
The opening game of the Africa Cup of Nations, which takes place in Abidjan’s Alassane Ouattara Stadium on January 13, features Guinea Bissau taking against the home nation, Ivory Coast. During the football competition, six stadiums will be used, including this state-of-the-art arena.
Several representatives of the Chinese embassy stationed in Ivory Coast attended Daniel Kablan Duncan, the former prime minister of the country, during the groundbreaking ceremony, to mark the beginning of the ground’s construction in 2016.
It was not surprising that they were there. Ultimately, the Beijing Institute of Architectural Design created the stadium’s design, while the Beijing Construction Engineering Group constructed it. These are both state entities in China.
The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)
Sports lovers throughout the world are waiting anxiously for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), which is quickly approaching. Recently, the six cutting-edge host stadiums have drawn interest from all over the world; some of these facilities were created and built by Chinese companies. The locations, according to observers, are a striking example of China’s mutually beneficial “stadium diplomacy” along with the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which has and will significantly accelerate economic growth on the African continent and enhance local living standards.
The opening and closing ceremonies of the competition will be held in the Olympic Stadium of Epimbe, which is situated in Abidjan, one of the nation’s commercial centers. Beijing Institute of Architectural Design Co. created the 60,000-seat arena, which is also the biggest stadium in Cote d’Ivoire, and Beijing Construction Engineering Group constructed it. State-owned China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) built the Laurent Pokou Stadium in San-Pedro, while China National Building Material Group, another Chinese enterprise, was the general contractor for the Amadou Gon Coulibaly Stadium in Korhogo.
Roughly 1,000 local employment were generated and roughly 100 professional stadium operators were trained throughout the project’s building phase. According to a statement sent by CCECC to the Global Times on Thursday, the location will also be able to accommodate a number of other elite sporting events, including track and field competitions, once AFCON concludes. It further stated that the initiative has made it easier to build other essential local infrastructure projects, such hospitals, airports, and roadways.
According to CCECC, certain aspects of local culture were used during the development of Laurent Pokou Stadium. The Chinese corporation built solar photovoltaic technology in addition to the venue’s top-notch inner field, athletic track, and lighting facilities to help with a future green transition. Industry watchers claimed that these contemporary stadiums, some of which will become iconic monuments
Stadium Diplomacy
Following the conclusion of AFCON, also perfectly capture the essence of Cote d’Ivoire’s national identity. Liu Hongwu, dean of African studies at East China’s Zhejiang Normal University, told the media on Thursday that Africa has greatly benefited from the “stadium diplomacy” under the BRI. Over the past 60 years, medical assistance and sports cooperation have been essential to bilateral people-to-people exchanges between China and Africa.
For the last six AFCON editions, which are held every other year, Chinese enterprises have been actively involved in the stadium construction process. Over 100 stadiums have been constructed throughout the continent with assistance from the nation. Rejecting assertions made by certain Western politicians that China is competing with other countries for political sway on the continent, Liu stated that China’s economic partnership with Africa is founded on equality and mutual respect, with no political conditions attached. BRI cooperation agreements have been inked with China to date by the African Union Commission and at least 52 African nations.
For twelve years running, China has been Africa’s biggest commercial partner. Over the past ten years, China’s direct investments in the continent have been consistent, and over 1,100 joint projects are presently in progress, supporting the region’s economic development and expansion, according to local media sources.
China has played a major role in the construction of additional tournament venues. The China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (again, a state enterprise) constructed the Laurent Pokou Stadium in San Pedro. Furthermore, the Amadou Gon Coulibaly Stadium in Korhogo was constructed with the China National Building Material company acting as general contractor.
Stadiums across Africa
All of this is a part of China’s long-term “stadium diplomacy” strategy, which it has been implementing all over the continent. Stadiums have regularly been given as gifts to African countries, or else paid for with comparatively inexpensive loans, as part of the Belt and Road Initiative, which aims to increase commerce and strengthen interdependence between China and other nations.
For example, China was engaged in building both of Gabon’s stadiums when it co-hosted the 2012 Cup of Nations alongside Equatorial Guinea. China constructed two more when Gabon hosted the tournament five years later. Currently, 15% of Gabon’s exports, primarily manganese and crude petroleum, are sent to China.
