RECENT data from China’s National Bureau of Statistics indicates a notable decrease in the number of Chinese workers stationed across Africa, marking a significant shift from the peak recorded over a decade ago.
In 2015, Chinese worker presence on the continent reached a record high of 263,696 individuals. However, by 2022, this figure plummeted to 88,371, marking the lowest level in more than ten years.
According to Deborah Brautigam, director at the China Africa Research Initiative at Johns Hopkins University, the decline in Chinese worker numbers can be partially attributed to the Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent closure of borders. ‘We have no data for 2023, but anecdotally we hear that more postponed projects are resuming. Yet we are unlikely to see the high numbers of the past,’ she stated.
Yunnan Chen, a researcher at ODI Global, a UK-based research group, echoed this sentiment, suggesting that while some construction activities may have restarted since 2022, overall Chinese-financed projects have been in decline. ‘So I wouldn’t expect any dramatic increases in these numbers anytime soon,’ Chen told VOA.
Despite the overall decline, certain countries in Africa have seen stable or increased Chinese worker presence. Egypt, for instance, witnessed a rise from around 2,000 to over 7,000 Chinese workers in 2022. Lauren Johnston, an expert on China with the University of Sydney, noted the significance of Chinese investment in Zimbabwe’s mining industry. ‘There are large value-added mineral-processing facilities being constructed in Zimbabwe and also power projects which are needed for mining and mineral processing,’ she explained.
While efforts are being made to incorporate more local labour into Chinese projects, Deborah Brautigam emphasised the challenges of this transition. ‘What they need to increase is hiring managers locally,’ she stated. ‘But this will take time and the development of Chinese language skills among local managers.’