China–Africa relationships: A systematic literature review and future directions

Abstract

The deepening engagements of China in Africa in the past three decades have recently led to an increase in academic interest in exploring China–Africa relationships. This paper presents a systematic review of the extant literature on China–Africa ties published during 2000–2022. The antecedents-phenomena-consequences framework was used to organize the identified publications thematically. The findings suggest that China’s presence in Africa is mainly motivated by economic and political factors, considering that loans, grants, and infrastructure-for-resources are the main strategies for wooing Africans. Some scholars accuse China of only pursuing its selfish interests in Africa, whereas others see the relationship as potentially useful for the continent's economic advancement. The study contributes to a better understanding of China–Africa relationships and provides a basis for researchers to advance knowledge in the broader “China in Africa” discourse. Managers and policymakers from both sides can also use the findings to enhance their strategies and policies, respectively.