Beyongo Dynamic’s 2018 thesis
‘Regulating foreign direct investments in resource-dependent African countries : the case of chinese investments in Zambia’s copper mining sector’ is available digitally at:
https://library.anu.edu.au/search~S1/?searchtype=Y&searcharg=Beyongo+Dynamic&searchscope=4&sortdropdown=-&SORT=DZ&extended=0&SUBMIT=Search&searchlimits=&searchorigarg=YBeyongo+Dynamic%26SORT%3DD
ABSTRACT
Several studies have examined the diverse social, economic and political impacts of Chinese investments on African countries. While some studies argue that Chinese investments has positively impacted on these countries, others claim that it has led to the weakening of local regulations and local industries. Throughout many aspects of this debate, scholars and commentators tend to consider African actors and agents as passive objects shaped by Chinese investments, often neglecting the subtle ways in which local actors and institutions interact with Chinese investments to both resist and shape various outcomes. This thesis addresses this oversight in the specific context of safety and environmental regulations of Chinese investments in Zambia’s copper mining sector. The thesis adopts a political economy approach, which contends that host country actors and institutions both resist and cooperate with foreign companies to shape investments practices. In particular, some local actors have responded to Foreign Direct investments (FDI) by re-vamping domestic institutions to counter more effectively the negative impact of FDI. I use this approach to examine how local actors have responded to events and practices involving two Chinese mining companies operating in Zambia……..’