OJSS Home

2025 - Volume 9 - Number 2

Do China’s Investments and Aid in Africa Constitute a Form of Neo-Colonialism?

Ting Long * ORCID: 0009-0003-2932-8958
Ghent University, Faculty of Law and Criminology, Ghent, BELGIUM

Yang Li * ORCID: 0000-0002-2068-7888
Ghent University, Faculty of Arts and Philosophy, Ghent, BELGIUM

Open Journal for Sociological Studies, 2025, 9(2), 51-58 * https://doi.org/10.32591/coas.ojss.0902.02051l
Received: 9 May 2025 ▪ Revised: 19 August 2025 ▪ Accepted: 10 November 2025

LICENCE: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

ARTICLE (Full Text - PDF)

ABSTRACT:
This essay argues that China’s investments and aid in Africa do not constitute neocolonialism. Grounded in the Three Worlds Theory established after 1949, China's foreign policy has, since 2012, emphasized developing nations, particularly in Africa, as a cornerstone of its Global South strategy. Post-2012, Chinese investments have primarily focused on infrastructure and production sectors. Western accusations of neocolonialism, environmental damage, and debt crises lack substantial evidence and often reflect self-projection. These criticisms overlook China’s recent efforts in green investments and its policy of non-interference, which contrasts with Western approaches. Methodologically, the essay analyses China’s strategy using Chinese government documents, leadership speeches, and data from international organizations. The findings suggest that China’s investments aim at win-win outcomes, fostering infrastructure, employment, and education in Africa. While criticism persists, China’s engagement reflects a pragmatic approach that contributes to African development and economic growth.

KEY WORDS: China, foreign investment, Africa, neo-colonialism.

CORRESPONDING AUTHOR:

Yang Li, Ghent University, Faculty of Arts and Philosophy, Ghent, BELGIUM.

REFERENCES:

Acemoglu, D., & Robinson, J. A. (2010). Why is Africa poor? Economic history of developing regions, 25(1), 21-50.

African Development Bank (2019). Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA). [online] African Development Bank – Building today, a better Africa tomorrow. Available at: https://www.afdb.org/en/topics-and-sectors/initiatives-partnerships/programme-for-infrastructure-development-in-africa-pida.

Bai, M. Chen. 白孟宸 (2018). Bei feizhouxiongdi taijin lianheguo ”:   zhongfei waijiao dailai de zhongguo xuanfeng 被非洲兄弟擡進聯合國: 中非外交帶來的中國旋風. Carried into the UN by African brothers': the Chinese whirlwind of China-Africa diplomacy. Times-Picayune, 17.

Boston University (2024). Research Express｜China-Africa Economic Bulletin, 2024 Edition | Global Development Policy Center. [online] Available at: https://www.bu.edu/gdp-cn/2024/05/01/%E7%A0%94%E7%A9%B6%E9%80%9F%E9%80%92-%E4%B8%AD%E5%9B%BD-%E9%9D%9E%E6%B4%B2%E7%BB%8F%E6%B5%8E%E5%85%AC%E6%8A%A5%EF%BC%8C2024%E5%B9%B4%E7%89%88/ [Accessed 22 Jul. 2024 89%88/ [Accessed 22 Jul. 2024].

BRICS (2023). Expansion of BRICS: New Member States Announcement.

Carrai, M. A. (2020). The rise of screening mechanisms in the global north: weaponising the law against China’s weaponised investments? The Chinese Journal of Comparative Law, 8(2), 351-383.

Chan-Fishel, M., Lawson, R., & Kitissou, M. (2007). Bankrolling the “going out” strategy: China’s financing of African Aid and investment, and implications for Africa’s debt and development. Africa in China’s Global Strategy, London: Adonis and Abbey Publishers Ltd, 108-131.

Chen, Y. (2018). The five principles of peaceful coexistence and their impact on China’s foreign policy. Asian Studies Review, 42(4), 678-693.

Chen, Y. (2019). The role of developing countries in China’s foreign policy. International Studies Quarterly, 63(4), 678-692.

Cho, H. Y. (2015). Revitalising the Bandung spirit. In The Inter-Asia Cultural Studies Reader (pp. 578–591). Routledge.

China-Africa Cooperation Forum (2009). Principles and Achievements of the China-Africa Cooperation.

Deng, X. (2017). The three worlds theory: An analysis of Mao Zedong’s strategic thought. Journal of Contemporary China, 26(105), 789-804.

FOCAC. (2009). Forum on China-Africa Cooperation: Progress Report.

‌Gassama, I. J. (2008). Africa and the politics of destruction: A critical re-examination of neocolonialism and its consequences. Or. Rev. Int'l L., 10, 327.

Hays, D. G. (1964). Dependency theory: A formalism and some observations. Language, 40(4), 511-525.

Hurley, J., Morris, S., & Portelance, G. (2018), Examining the debt implications of the belt and road initiative from a policy perspective. Center for Global Development.

Jackson, K., & Shepotylo, O. (2021). Belt and Road: The China dream? China Economic Review, 67, 101604.

Jiang, W. (2009). Fuelling the dragon: China's rise and its energy and resources extraction in Africa. The China Quarterly, 199, 585–609.

Johnston, L. A. (2019). The Belt and Road Initiative: What is in it for China? Asia & the Pacific Policy Studies, 6(1), 40–58.

Lee, C. K. (2018). The spectre of global China: Politics, labour, and foreign investment in Africa. University of Chicago Press.

Li, W. (2016). The TAZARA Railway and China’s role in African development. Development Studies Quarterly, 38(2), 345–360.

Li, W. (2023). The impact of China’s economic growth on its foreign policy towards Africa. Journal of Contemporary China, 32(124), 345–360.

Liu, Guangding et al. (2012). Oil and gas resources in China: A roadmap to 2050. Springer Science & Business Media.

Lowell, J. (2019). China’s foreign aid and investment in the 1970s: A historical perspective. Economic History Review, 72(1), 89-112.

Ma, Chunhong 馬純紅. (2018). Duihua xieshang:   goujian renlei mingyun gongtongti de neihe yu tezhi 對話協商: 構建人類命運共同體的內核與特質 (Dialogue and consultation: the kernel and qualities of building a community of human destiny). Journal of Jishou University (Social Science Edition), 39(3), 10.

Nye, J. S. (2023). Perspectives for a China strategy. In Soft Power and Great-Power Competition: Shifting Sands in the Balance of Power between the United States and China (pp. 117-127). Singapore: Springer Nature Singapore.

Office of the Leading Group for Promoting the Construction of the “Belt and Road” (2023). China-African Countries Building One Belt and One Road Development Report, Publication date: 2023-12-01, ISBN: 9787518215669, China Planning Press.

Onjala, J. (2018). China’s development loans and the threat of debt crisis in Kenya. Development Policy Review, 36, O710-O728.

Sautman, B., & Hairong, Y. (2009). African perspectives in China–Africa links. The China Quarterly, 199, 728-759.

Sun, Y., Zhang, K., & Zhang, S. (2023). The impact of Chinese outward foreign direct investment on the comparative advantage of the Belt and Road countries. Journal of the Asia Pacific Economy, 28(3), 1251-1285.

Tang, J., Xiao, X., Han, M., Shan, R., Gu, D., Hu, T., ... & Lu, J. (2024). China’s Sustainable Energy Transition Path to Low-Carbon Renewable Infrastructure Manufacturing under Green Trade Barriers. Sustainability, 16(8), 3387.

Trehubova, A. (2023). The impact of Chinese foreign aid on OFAC sanctions effectiveness: Non-conditionality, non-interference, and the reality of Chinese foreign policy.

Udegbunam, C. U. (2020). Neo-colonialism and Africa’s development: A critical review. Public Policy and Administrative Research, 10(10), 69-86.
UN (1971). Restoration of the Lawful Rights of the PRC in the UN. UN General Assembly Resolution 2758.

Wang, J. (2005). China’s non-alignment strategy in the Post-Cold War Era. Asian Affairs, 36(3), 189-206.

Wang, Y., & Xu, Y. (2023). China and Africa: A new narrative on debt sustainability and infrastructure financing. Journal of Infrastructure, Policy and Development, 7(1), 2181.

Wright, D. (2020). The Bandung Conference and China’s foreign policy. Journal of Modern Asian Studies, 54(3), 567-589.

Wright, D. C. (2020). The history of China. Bloomsbury Publishing USA.

Xi Jinping習近平.  (2021).  China to strongly support green, low-carbon energy development in developing countries, no more new offshore coal power projects!). [online] Available at: http://www.ceep.cas.cn/mznyxw/202109/t20210928_663591.html [Accessed 2 May. 2024]

Xi Jinping習近平. (2023). Speech at the BRICS Summit. Xinhua News Agency.

Xia, Y., & Chen, M. (2023). The Janus face of stateness: China’s development-oriented equity investments in Africa. World Development, 162, 106133.

Xin Hua, (2023). Building ‘One Belt, One Road’ to push China-Africa relations to a new level – Xinhua Daily Telegraph. [online] Available at: http://www.news.cn/mrdx/2023-10/10/c_1310744716.htm.

Xinhua. (1971). Mao Zedong on the role of African nations in restoring China's UN membership. Xinhua News Agency Archives.

Zhang, L. (2021). Sino-Soviet relations and the formation of China’s foreign policy. International Relations Journal, 45(2), 123-145.