Online Masterclass: China-US geopolitical rivalry and its impact on Africa’s industrialization

On Tuesday 21 September 2021, from 15.00 - 16.00 hrs. (CEST), Jeroen van Wijk, Associate Professor in Global Value Chains and Partnerships, will conduct the online masterclass China-US geopolitical rivalry and its impact on Africa’s industrialization.

About the online masterclass

The era of globalization was based on neo-liberal multilateralism, where capital, services, goods, and technology could relatively easily move around the globe. Recently, however, this liberal economic environment has become challenged by the geopolitical rivalry between China and the USA. China has initiated the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to strengthen economic and political ties with the dozens of nations in Asia and beyond, whereas the country has set the goal of becoming the world’s leading manufacturing power in 2049. The progress China has made is particularly significant in digital technology.

Under both the Trump and Biden Administrations, the US government has responded to the Chinese challenge by removing Chinese components from critical digital networks and from value chains destined to the American market. It expects its allies to do the same. This decoupling of global value chains in critical technology sectors puts many emerging economies in a dilemma. They are intertwined with both Chinese and American technology chains and need them badly for their industrialization efforts. Which are their options?

In this free online Masterclass, Jeroen van Wijk, Associate Professor in Global Value Chains and Partnerships, will discuss the rise of China, China’s role in the industrialization of Africa, and what the decoupling of Chinese and non-Chinese value chains will mean for the digital development of African countries.

At the end of the Masterclass participants will better understand why Chinese companies that are playing a key role in the technological development of Africa, such as Huawei, have become controversial in the USA and its allies. Participants will also have a better idea of possible coping strategies.

Interested? Register here!

After registration, you will receive the login link to join the masterclass.

About Jeroen van Wijk, Associate Professor in Global Value Chains and Partnerships

Jeroen is teaching Global Value Chain analysis in MBA programs with MSM and its foreign partners, and with MSM clients around the world. Jeroen’s research addresses the question of how emerging economies can enter global value chains in a way that is supportive to domestic industrialization. Value chain analysis is playing a key role here. Jeroen is particularly interested in the role China plays in Africa’s development. His latest publication (2021) is on the extent to which Chinese investments and the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative help Ethiopia in its industrialization efforts.  Next to his position at MSM, Jeroen is Associate Consultant with the social enterprise Fair & Sustainable Consulting in Utrecht.