The Power of Imperfection: China-Ethiopia Industrial Parks as the Medium for Local Vitalization

Abstract

Exchanges between China and Africa involving political, economic, scientific and cultural aspects have a long history and are constantly updated according to the practical needs of both sides. The high degree of complementarity has led to China-Africa deepening cooperation, which has been accompanied by the emergence of new industrial clusters, the shift in the interest of new investors, and the movement of new immigrant groups. Nevertheless, differences in historical traditions, social culture, and religious beliefs between immigrant groups and native groups, as well as the possible inequalities in economic power and international discourse between the two sides, often lead to controversial ways of cooperation and negative interactions.

According to the current mode of China-Africa capacity cooperation, industrial parks, as the main spatial carrier, have become the main platform for cooperation between China and African countries. The volume of industrial parks and the impact they bring to the host countries are no longer limited to affecting local economic development as the scale of investment continues to expand, but in most studies, such foreign co-built industrial parks are still treated as an instrument, and the focus of relevant studies is mainly on their promotion of local industrialization. As an entity with economic, social, spatial, and governance attributes that occupies a large area, has a high construction intensity, and has intensive flows of elements, the integration, and interaction between industrial parks and local cities is a direction that can be explored with many new perspectives and strategies.

So the aim of this study is, to use the China Eastern Industry Zone(EIZ) in Ethiopia as a case, to explore integrated strategies to foster regional vitalization in Dukem, Ethiopia via an incremental approach. Firstly, through literature research, mapping and comparative analysis, it is found that the impact of the Eastern Industry Zone on local urbanization and industrialization has penetrated into various aspects of socio-economic, spatial and governance. And the challenges and difficulties at the current stage are complex and intertwined. Therefore on-site surveys and questionnaires were used to analyze the demands of different local groups for the construction and operation of the Eastern Industry Zone, thus establishing the core position of this study to consider industrial park projects as an external opportunity to promote endogenous local development.

Then, based on literature research, comparative analysis and statistical analysis, the local capacity is assessed in three dimensions: spatial, socioeconomic and governance. Through scenario analysis, a vision is proposed, followed by the planning process to delve further into four cross-scale strategic action plans for industrial parks as an active medium for local vitalization. Finally, by analyzing the bottom-up spatial patterns, local activities, and stakeholders in local industrial communities in Dukem, focusing on the interaction and interface between industrial space and urban space, design guidelines for industrial communities are proposed, which is applied to the unbuilt Phase Two area of the Eastern Industry Zone for design testing.