The Africa Cup of Nations in Côte d'Ivoire showcased China's long-term strategy of 'stadium diplomacy' in Africa, initiated over fifty years ago. Initially aimed at creating solidarity and political leverage against Taiwan, China's interests shifted post-Cold War to seeking economic opportunities including new markets and resources. While China's stadium projects often face critiques regarding their practicality and sustainability, these ventures reflect a successful pursuit of soft power, embedding China deeper into African nations through high-profile public infrastructures despite local challenges in management and utility.
In the 1980s, China had been content to foster solidarity in Africa and leverage it to diplomatically exclude and isolate Taiwan. After assessing the post-Cold War landscape in the early 1990s, it became clear to Chinese leadership that Africa offered more.
Stadium diplomacy has had its problems. Some of the structures have been set up in inconvenient locations, and stadiums constructed less than twenty years ago have already been effectively abandoned.
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