China’s Soft Power Initiative in Africa: A Closer Look at StarTimes
As African leaders gather in Beijing for the China-Africa summit, one topic that is gaining attention is China’s soft power initiative in Africa through satellite TV. Chinese President Xi Jinping’s promise almost nine years ago to provide over 10,000 remote villages in 23 African countries with digital TV access is nearing completion, with over 9,600 villages already equipped with satellite infrastructure.
This ambitious pledge, funded by China’s aid budget and entrusted to the private Chinese company StarTimes, was seen as a way for China to flex its soft power in a strategically important region. However, as the BBC visited villages in Kenya to assess the impact of this initiative, it became clear that the project has had mixed results.
While many villagers expressed gratitude for the access to digital TV, some raised concerns about the cost of subscriptions after the free trial period ended. The initial excitement has waned for some, putting a dent in China’s efforts to build goodwill in Africa.
Furthermore, the content broadcast on StarTimes channels, which includes a mix of Chinese and local programming, has received mixed reviews. While some villagers enjoy certain shows, others find the programming outdated and one-dimensional.
Football, however, remains a crowd-puller for African audiences, with StarTimes heavily investing in securing broadcasting rights for popular football matches. Despite this, competition from other providers, such as SuperSport, remains fierce.
Overall, while StarTimes has seen success as a private company and the “10,000 Villages Project” has raised its profile, the initiative has not had the desired impact on China’s image-building efforts in Africa. As the project is now seen as a footnote in China’s soft-power outreach, it raises questions about the effectiveness of such initiatives in the region.
With concerns about content, costs, and competition, it remains to be seen how China’s soft power initiatives in Africa will evolve in the future.
