CKGSB and IE University launch data-driven report on China's economic influence in Africa

BEIJING, Sept. 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business, the IE China Observatory, and the IE Africa Program have launched a new report – China's Economic Influence in Africa: A Data-Driven Analysis – drawing on data from Afrobarometer to examine China's growing influence in Africa from the perspective of African citizens.

Led by Bin Ma, Academic Director of the IE China Observatory, and Stone Shi, CKGSB Professor and Associate Editor at the Academy of Management Annals, the study highlights striking regional differences in perceptions of Chinese loans, debt, infrastructure investment, and economic assistance across 27 African countries from 2016 to 2023.

The report reveals that public awareness of China's financial presence is much stronger in Eastern and Western African countries than in Northern countries, with Kenya showing the highest awareness of Chinese loans. Respondents also viewed Chinese loans as having fewer conditions than those from other international lenders.

The report looks at how perceptions of Chinese influence have changed between 2016 and 2023. Countries such as Kenya, Mauritius, and Nigeria have seen China's influence expand rapidly, while China's perceived influence has weakened in South Africa, Cameroon, and Tunisia. The report identifies factors that influence positive perceptions on China across African countries. Investments in business and infrastructure and the affordability of Chinese products contributed heavily to China's positive image, while diplomatic support had a smaller impact.

CKGSB Dean Li Haitao observed: "Balancing global perspectives with local needs in the process of globalization has moved from a theoretical discussion to a pressing issue of practice." He emphasized the importance for Chinese businesses to adopt strategies that combine global vision with local adaptation.

"China has reinterpreted soft power to include economic tools – such as infrastructure investment, trade, and development finance – as key levers of attraction and influence," said Jose Felix Valdivieso, Chairman of the IE China Observatory. "Nowhere is this reinterpretation more visible than in Africa, which has become a showcase for Beijing's approach to global engagement through large-scale projects, political ties, and cultural exchanges."

Enrico Letta, Dean of the IE School of Politics, Economics and Global Affairs, added, "This report offers a valuable foundation for strengthening EU-Africa relations by revealing how African citizens perceive China's influence."

It provides a foundation for informed dialogue among Africa, China, and Europe to foster transparent, sustainable, and locally attuned cooperation.

Read the report HERE