Qifan Zhang

Qifan was born in Guangzhou and grew up near Xiaobei Road—an area known as the largest African community in China. The neighbourhood is home to many African nationals who came to China for trade, business, or study, along with their families.  As a result, from kindergarten through secondary school, he formed close friendships with children and families from more than 30 African countries, including Angola, Cameroon, Ghana, and South Africa. These early experiences sparked an enduring curiosity about China–Africa cultural differences and interactions, inspiring a desire to travel to Africa and study these dynamics in person. Since his first trip to the continent, he has conducted fieldwork in countries including Mozambique, Tanzania, and Ethiopia, focusing on grassroots China–Africa engagement in agricultural cooperation and the lived experiences of transnational interaction.

Qifan's doctoral study will trace how overseas Chinese communities have acted as intermediaries in producing and circulating portrayals of Africa in Chinese publicity.