Obert Hodzi in Hong Kong
May 12, 10-12 am, Room A132 (Unioninkatu 38)
The Emerging Trends and Patterns of China’s Intervention in African Intrastate Armed Conflicts
Speaker: Mr. Obert Hodzi, PhD candidate, Department of Political Science, Lingnan University, Hong Kong
Next week, Obert Hodzi, a citizen of Zimbabwe living in Hong Kong is coming to share his research at the University of Helsinki. Obert’s current research project is funded by the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme, in which he explores the domestic and transnational implications of emerging China-Africa security relations, particularly, the emerging trends and patterns of China’s intervention behaviour in African intrastate armed conflicts, and its impact on the peace-development nexus on the continent.
Before studying in Hong Kong, he did graduate studies in Germany and South Africa. Leveraging on his multidisciplinary background, his broad research interests cover topics such as China-Africa relations, Chinese foreign policy, African politics, democracy and elections, and transitional justice.
In August 2015, Obert completed a three-month research project on China’s intervention in South Sudan’s civil war in Addis Ababa where he worked as a visiting researcher at the Institute for Peace and Security Studies. Before his PhD, he also worked for regional and international organizations such as the Institute for a Democratic Alternative for Zimbabwe, HIVOS Southern Africa and Governance Network International e.V on democracy, elections, and governance projects in Africa.
Below are our Q&A with Obert!
- What is your impression of China and Chinese people?
The Great Wall epitomizes my impression of China and the Chinese people. From a distance it is just a long winding wall, but up close it is gigantic, and impressive in a way that leaves you awestruck by the dedication, sacrifice, resoluteness and craftsmanship of a people driven by inspirations of a great civilization.
Today’s China and Chinese people are just as their ancestors were, hardworking, sacrificial and driven by the burning passion to achieve greatness. But in the struggle for greatness, the Chinese state sometimes comes up as overbearing and heavy-handed in a way that constraints creativity and innovation, and deprives ordinary Chinese of the right to define who they are as individuals with distinct thoughts and opinions.
In Zimbabwe, Chinese people are distant and often live in secluded compounds so I never really knew them beyond noodles and Kung-fu. After living in Hong Kong for a few years, and interacting with Chinese people, I find most to be genuinely nice, curious and polite, although some are still coming to terms with having foreigners in their space. I must also add that in some parts of Hong Kong where there are many Chinese tourists, I have learnt to accept the strange stares and having pictures of me stealthily taken!
- Is it possible to compare China and Zimbabwe?
Surprisingly, it is possible to compare the two. From 1980 up to 1996, believe it or not, Zimbabwe had a GDP per capita several times higher than China’s. But from 1997 onward, Chinese people have grown richer while Zimbabweans increasingly grow poorer, it amazes me how it came to be!
- Have you found similarities between people of China and Zimbabwe?
Both China and Zimbabwe are conservative, superstitious and hierarchical societies. For Chinese and Zimbabweans, ‘answering back’ to elders and those of higher authority, or openly disagreeing with them is considered being ill-mannered. Also, to both peoples, the needs of the family, community and country are regarded as more important than those of an individual, so the success of the community is your success and vice versa.
If you have interacted with both Chinese and Zimbabweans, you might have noticed that they believe dogs have the power to see supernatural beings such as ghosts and witches, so if a dog howls at night it might be that there are ghosts and witches around. Also nails and hair can be used to cast spells so they have to be disposed carefully, and they cannot be clipped at night!
- What do you plan to do in Helsinki? Is this your first visit to Helsinki?
In Helsinki I am planning to have an interactive talk on the emerging trends and patterns of China’s intervention in African intrastate armed conflicts. Drawing from field research and interviews conducted in Ethiopia, I intend to show that when it comes to African conflicts, the emerging trend is that China is creatively intervening especially in cases where its interests are threatened. Using the case studies of South Sudan, Mali and Libya, I will argue that in a space of three years, China has moved from non-intervention to ambivalent intervention in Libya, to engaging rebels in South Sudan, and sending combat troops under the United Nations Peacekeeping operations in Mali and South Sudan.
My plan is not just to share my research but interact with students, academics and other interested people at the University of Helsinki. So, I am looking forward to hearing interesting thoughts and opinions on this and other related topics.
Apart from the lecture, I am looking forward to seeing Helsinki for the first time, experience the culture, and enjoy the food! And of course, improve my photography by taking as many photos as I possibly can!