Africans in China: A Sociocultural Study and Its Implications on Africa-China Relations
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Africans in China: A Sociocultural Study and Its Implications on ...

Chapter 2:  Africans in Guangzhou
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(see Li et al., 2008), Guangzhou also attracts many African businessmen. Importantly, it is situated in Guangdong Province, the Chinese province with the largest manufacturing base for the kinds of inexpensive manufactured goods that Africans ship back to Africa.

This study focuses on the African community at the Tianxiu Building and other nearby buildings and markets such as Dengfeng and Canaan. It examines the linguistic and cultural relationships between Africans and Chinese. This part of Guangzhou has been nicknamed “Chocolate City” in reference to the many black Africans living in this area.1 During my research trips, I conducted questionnaire surveys at various times, mainly in two areas: the Tianxiu Building on Xiaobei Road (photo 2.1) and the clothes markets (photo 2.2), including Canaan Export Clothes Wholesale Trade Centre and two Tianen Export Trade Buildings at Guangyuan Xi Road.

PHOTO 2.1. Tianxiu Building on Xiaobei Road.