The provocative title and thesis of Howard French’s book is ample evidence of
the allure geopolitical narratives have in simplifying what would otherwise be a
complex portrait of African-Chinese relations.

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As China has increased its aid, trade, investments, market share, and influence
in the countries of Africa, there has been scant attention paid to the role of Chinese financial institutions.

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In the Looting Machine, Financial Times reporter Tom Burgis attempts to trace
the transactions, linkages and individuals that have played a significant role
in the persistent and chronic underdevelopment of African states.

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This paper examines how China’s systemic impact on the world economy and
growing presence in Sub-Sahara Africa (SSA) affects processes of structural
change in SSA countries. It is argued that these effects depend both on their size
and composition which varies across di... Read More

In the context of rapid increases in Sino-African trade over the last fifteen years,
this article examines the consequences of the proliferation of Chinese goods
in the daily life of African societies and the rise of mass consumption on the
continent. The impact of Chinese go... Read More

This article challenges the widely-held view that the competition for markets
and influence between China and the West in sub-Saharan Africa is a zero-sum
game, with few incentives or opportunities to collaborate. The study examines
the history and operative framework of the ... Read More

Much has been made of China’s economic ascendency in Africa, most notably
its overtaking of the US in 2009 to become the continent’s largest trading partner. Beyond trade, the broader contours of Chinese loans, export credits, investment, and aid have changed Africa’s e... Read More

Unlike traditional donor countries, China has not established compulsory environmental and social risk (ESR) mitigation mechanisms for its Official Development Finance (ODF) projects. This article seeks to examine the various
stakeholders’ relations concerning the ESR induced by Ch... Read More

The paper analyses the divergence and convergence of the characteristics of
China’s economic relationships with Africa – trade, investment and aid – with
Africa’s ‘traditional’ partners, i.e. Western industrialised countries. It argues that
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