Chinese Investment in Africa

China leads the world when it comes to investment and influence on the African continent. The extent of Chinese investment in Africa is well known and much has been written about Chinas foray into Africa. However, most of the available material has approached this issue by looking at China as the New Colonialist more interested in Africas vast natural resources than working in partnership for sustained development. Whilst Chinas interest in Africas resources is evident, it is just half of the story. Chinas foray into Africa goes beyond its appetite for natural resources and into the realm of geo-politics and international political economics. For example, China is all too aware of how it can cultivate Africas support on global issues at the United Nations and at other international fora. Breaking free from the binary arguments and analysis which characterize this topic, Professor Abdulai presents a refreshing perspective that Chinas foray into Africa can produce winwin outcomes for China and Africa if Africans really know what they want from China. Hitherto, each African country has tended to engage China with an individual bucket list; acting in isolation and not as part of a wider continent (indeed Africa and the African Union does not yet have a coordinated policy towards China). For Africa to be able to do that it needs to know where China is coming from, the factors that contributed to its awakening and success, and the benefits and possible pitfalls of this foray, in order to better position itself for a winwin engagement with China. This book will be a valuable read for policy makers, think-tanks and students of Africa-China studies programmes alike.