The lecture will be held by Dr. Li Hangwei and is part of the lecture series "Infrastructure, Capitalism, and Dependency in the Digital Age".

This lecture explores Mauritius’ digital engagement with Chinese tech giants and argues that, despite persistent asymmetric relationships, small island developing states like Mauritius possess the agency to choose among various digital partnership offers. However, the risks of technological lock-in, money politics, and the growing need to utilize digital tools for surveillance (even within a democracy) add complexity to the country’s decision-making process when navigating its digital partnerships. The lecture also offers a comparative understanding of how Mauritius’ approach may differ from that of other African countries, such as Kenya and Zambia.