“Spreading all over Africa, China shops not only shape China’s image in
Africa on a grass-roots level, but also have a multidimensional impact
on China–Africa relations. From an anthropologist’s perspective, the
author uses ‘contact zone’ theory to analyse social interaction between
Chinese and local people in the ‘China shop’ context. The book allows us
to gain an insight of Chinese merchants’ life in Africa, and also the
China–Africa relations on an everyday level. The ethnographic study
deconstructs the grand narrative of China–Africa relations and provides
depth on the widely discussed international issue.”
