China's Economic Influence in Africa: A Data-Driven Analysis

This report, titled "China's Economic Influence in Africa: A Data-Driven Analysis", is a collaboration between IE University’s China Observatory, Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business (CKGSB), Afrobarometer, and the IE Africa Program. The authors of the analysis are Bin Ma, Academic Director, IE China Observatory, and Weilei (Stone) Shi, Professor at CKGSB and Associate Editor at Academy of Management Annals and Consulting Editor at Journal of Management Studies.

This publication includes a foreword by Enrico Letta, Dean of the IE School of Politics, Economics and Global Affairs & Chair of the Global Policy Center at IE University. It also features a contribution by Haitao Li, Dean and Dean’s Distinguished Chair Professor of Finance at the Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business (CKGSB), on "Globalization and Localization: Strategic Choices Driving the Long-term Development of Chinese Enterprises".

The report uses empirical methodology based on survey data from 27 African countries to analyze how ordinary citizens perceive China’s economic influence and how these perceptions have changed between 2016 and 2023. The findings offer insights into the effectiveness of Chinese loans and assistance and reveal the factors shaping China's public image in the region. The study provides a data-driven foundation for understanding the geopolitical and economic realignment of African nations in a multipolar world.