Contemporary China Seminar Series – Centre for Contemporary China Studies, University of Melbourne
China in Africa: What is OBOR and why is the Indian Ocean in focus?
Dr Lauren Johnston, University of Melbourne
5.30-7.00pm Thursday 6 April, 2017
Arts West Room 556, University of Melbourne, Parkville
Admission is free, but places are limited so registration is essential
Visit the University of Melbourne Events page to register
Three years since the launch of China’s flagship outbound investment strategy, One Belt One Road (OBOR), many are left uncertain – what is OBOR and what exactly is China trying to achieve? Based on study of trade-related potential for win-win development between China and Africa countries, Dr Lauren Johnston explains economic push factors underlying China’s outbound investment agenda, and the attractiveness of selective ‘Belt’ countries in Africa. Arguing that the timeliness of OBOR investments for particular African economies could help underlie sustained economic development, she adds a call for Australia, the only OECD member of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), to grasp related new challenges and opportunity.
Dr Lauren Johnston is a Research Fellow in the Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research. Lauren’s research in development economics applies mainly to China and Africa, and China-Africa relations. Previously Lauren taught Chinese economy at the Beijing Foreign Studies University (IES), and held positions at the World Bank in DC and World Economic Forum in Geneva. As a Fellow of the Overseas Development Institute she was an economist in the Ministries of Finance of Guyana and Sierra Leone each for a year. Lauren holds a PhD (Econ) from Peking University, a MSc (Dev Econ) from the University of London (SOAS) and a BA/BCom from the University of Melbourne.