Chinese construction standards “going out”: the case of African infrastructure projects

Purpose This paper aims at providing a closer examination of the “going out” of Chinese technical and construction standards in Chinese-built infrastructure projects in African countries. It questions current narratives about Chinese technical standards and their diffusion on the African continent being stakes for geopolitical contention. Design/methodology/approach Four sets of resources: 1 – participant observation (one of the authors is a legal practitioner); 2 – interviews; 3 – legal sources and contracts publicly available and 4 – secondary literature and newspaper articles. Findings Chinese-built infrastructure projects in African countries are not always characterized by the adoption of Chinese standards. Decisions regarding the adoption of Chinese standards in these projects are the prerogative of the owners of such projects—that is, African governments. They determine which standards to adopt based on technical merits such as accessibility, cost, and national preferences. In the process of “going out”, Chinese standards are often subject to changes and hybridization, to better fit local and international realities. In the long run, Chinese and non-Chinese contractors adapt their offers to align with the highest standard quality on offer. Competition (and geopolitical contention) is not over standards, but rather, over products and services. Originality/value This paper challenges oversimplified narratives about the diffusion of Chinese standards in African projects and provides tools for a more objective, practice-based assessment of the diffusion of Chinese construction standards in African infrastructure projects and beyond.