← The China in Africa Podcast
The Chinese FDI Boom in Africa That Wasn't artwork

The Chinese FDI Boom in Africa That Wasn't

The China in Africa Podcast
S16 E4431:06
Play episode

Show notes

For years, China has been seen as the pivotal international economic partner across Africa. That was certainly true in terms of steadily rising trade volumes and a fire hose of state backed loans that built roads, railways, and ports across the continent. But when it comes to investment, China's always been a laggard behind the United States and the former European colonial powers. Today, it's the UAE, not China, that is the continent's largest source of foreign direct investment. Charles Kenny, a senior fellow at the Center for Global Development in Washington, D.C., joins Eric to discuss his latest report on Chinese FDI in Africa and why the long-promised wave of manufacturing investment never materialized. JOIN THE DISCUSSION: X: @ChinaGSProject | @eric_olander Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChinaAfricaProject YouTube: www.youtube.com/@ChinaGlobalSouth Now on Bluesky! Follow CGSP at @chinagsproject.bsky.social FOLLOW CGSP IN FRENCH AND ARABIC: Français: www.projetafriquechine.com | @AfrikChine Arabic: عربي: www.alsin-alsharqalawsat.com | @SinSharqAwsat JOIN US ON PATREON! Become a CGSP Patreon member and get all sorts of cool stuff, including our Week in Review report, an invitation to join monthly Zoom calls with Eric & Cobus, and even an awesome new CGSP Podcast mug! www.patreon.com/chinaglobalsouth

More from this show

More
  1. Why Africa Matters to China

    China is deepening its engagement with Africa as geopolitical competition intensifies, with President Xi Jinping meeting the leaders of Botswana and Togo in Beijing. The visits hig…

    S16 E4201:01:40
  2. China, Africa and the Fight Against Telecom Fraud

    China-Africa security cooperation is expanding beyond military ties into cross-border law enforcement, as Chinese-linked telecom fraud operations spread across Africa. Joint invest…

    S16 E4157:30
  3. Hidden Uranium in DRC Cobalt Exports to China: Is It a Problem?

    The DRC's cobalt industry is also moving uranium through global supply chains, creating a problem that extends beyond critical-minerals security. Researchers estimate that 2,000–5,…

    S16 E4041:45
  4. China, Taiwan and the Somaliland Question

    China's engagement across Africa is increasingly shaped by both high-level geopolitics and competition in everyday markets. Somalia's renewed ties with Beijing are being driven in…

    S16 E3942:48
  5. Kenyan President Orders Crackdown on Foreigners in Small Businesses, Including Chinese

    Kenya's crackdown on foreigners operating small businesses has put Chinese traders at the center of a wider debate over competition, immigration, and economic opportunity. Presiden…

    S16 E3858:45
  6. Is China Decolonizing African Media or Expanding Its Influence?

    China's influence in Africa's media landscape increasingly operates through content-sharing agreements, journalist training, paid placements, and support for local broadcasters. Th…

    S16 E3754:28
Now Playing
The China in Africa Podcast — The Chinese FDI Boom in Africa That Wasn't | Podcast | Josplay Music