Hong Zhang, assistant professor of International Studies at the Indiana University Hamilton Lugar School, was recently cited in the South China Morning Post in an article examining China’s evolving role in African infrastructure development. The piece, titled “Skin in the game: China pivots from operating African railways and ports to funding shift,” explores how Chinese companies are moving from sovereign lending-based, large-scale construction projects toward long-term operational involvement and public-private partnerships.
Zhang, whose research focuses on China’s global development strategies and industrial policy, provided expert insight into the motivations behind this shift. She explained that China’s move away from heavy reliance on state-backed loans toward firm-driven investment models reflects both economic pragmatism and a desire for deeper engagement in Africa’s infrastructure sector. She also predicted that the public-private partnership model will grow because these projects need to be packaged as more financially attractive, and if so, they can draw global investors.
Zhang teaches courses on China and global development, international political economy, and global infrastructure and industrial policy at the Hamilton Lugar School. Her research examines China’s role in shaping development trajectories in the Global South, with a focus on infrastructure finance and governance. She also co-edits the People’s Map of Global China and Global China Pulse journal.
To learn more, read the full article on the South China Morning Post website: “China pivots from operating African railways and ports to funding shift.”