Accountablity and agency: An analysis of the representation of China in Ghanaian media in the context of the Sinohydro deal
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2024-07-10
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en
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This thesis examines the representation of China and its activities in Ghanaian media in the
context of the Sinohydro deal. Within this controversial deal, the Chinese state-owned
Sinohydro Corporation Limited would invest 2 billion US dollars worth of infrastructure, and
Ghana would repay this investment with the proceeds of refined bauxite. By researching the
way in which China is represented in this deal, it seeks to address the research gap of
understudied, unique African perspectives on China’s engagement with African states. A total
of 104 articles on the Sinohydro deal published by two Ghanaian newspapers - Daily Guide
Network and Business & Financial Times - and one Ghanaian online news outlet –
Myjoyonline.com – were analysed to investigate China’s representation within the deal. The
analysis shows that China is represented in a neutral manner within the deal. When major points
of contention regarding the deal were addressed, there was a specific focus on the agency and
accountability of the Ghanaian government. China was not framed as the key character behind
these issues, which largely differs from the way China is often represented in Western media.
The Ghanaian media’s focus on the role of the Ghanaian government in shaping the outcomes
of the Sinohydro deal encourages us to think about the agency and accountability of African
governments in a broader sense.
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Faculteit der Managementwetenschappen