1st Edition

African Understandings of Chinese Involvement Power, Practices, and Prospects

Edited By Sabella O. Abidde, Dramane G. Thiombiano Copyright 2026
324 Pages 9 B/W Illustrations
by Routledge

324 Pages 9 B/W Illustrations
by Routledge

This book brings together leading African scholars to consider China’s impact on Africa’s political, economic, cultural, environmental, and social spaces. China’s power and influence on the African continent have increased exponentially in recent decades, providing a range of political and economic goods and services. African governments have opened their markets to Chinese goods and services... Read more

Chapter 1: Introduction: China and the Chinese in Africa: An African Perspective

Sabella O. Abidde and Dramane G. Thiombiano

 

SECTION I: WHAT MANNER OF COOPERATION?

Chapter 2: The (Re)making of Empire: Africa in the Age of Chinese Expansion

Yimovie Sakue-Collins

 

Chapter 3: China-Africa Relations: Beyond the Exploiter-Exploited Narratives in Djibouti, Kenya, and Nigeria

Agnes Behr and Babatunde Oyateru

 

Chapter 4: China and Africa: A New Nexus Based on South-South Cooperation or Neocolonialism

Sandra Ochieng’-Springer

 

Chapter 5: China in Zimbabwe: The Optimists, Cautionists, and Radicals?

Kudakwashe Chirambwi

 

Chapter 6: Needs-Driven China-Nigeria Relations: A Game of Two Unevens

Tunde Oseni and Oluwatosin Olusola Adesina

 

SECTION II: ECONOMIC CONDITIONS

Chapter 7: Inducement or Strategic Partnership: Interrogating China-Nigeria Bilateral Relations

Idowu Johnson and Daniel Godwin

 

Chapter 8: Regime Security or Human Security? The Nexus between China’s Economic Activities and Peace and Security in Zimbabwe

Enock Ndawana and Kumbirai C. Ngwaru

 

Chapter 9: Political Economy of China in Africa

Gbensuglo Alidu Bukari

 

Chapter 10: The ‘Look East Policy’ and Debt Financing: A Political Economy Analysis of Sino-Zimbabwe Debt Relations

Vincent Chakunda and Arthur Fidelis Chikerema

 

Chapter 11: China and Domestic West African Country Markets: Emerging Issues, Trends and Challenges

Olawale Yemisi

 

SECTION III: AGENCY, POLITICS, AND PROPOSITIONS

Chapter 12: The Media, Civil Society Organizations and the Question of Agency in Sino-African Relations: The Perception of Ghanaians

Isaac Nunoo and Justice Kwabena Atenka

 

Chapter 13: China’s Win-Win Cooeration in Uganda: A Reality or Rhetoric

Joel Odota and Richard Mbayo

 

Chapter 14: Transitioning from a 'No-Win' Scenario to a 'Win-Win' Proposition: The Democratic Republic of Congo’s Efforts to Renegotiate the Sicomines Agreement with China

Hellen Adogo

 

Chapter 15: International Cooperation and National Diffraction: The Institutional Challenges of Moroccan Power in the Face of the Belt and Road Initiative

Adam Laroussi

Biography

Sabella O. Abidde is a professor of political science and a member of the graduate faculty at Alabama State University. He holds a B.A. in international relations and an M.Sc. in educational administration from Saint Cloud State University, Minnesota; an M.A. in political science from Minnesota State University, Mankato; and a Ph.D. in African Studies, World Affairs, Public Policy, and Development Studies from Howard University. He has edited and co-edited several volumes, including Xenophobia and Nativism in Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean (Routledge, 2023). Professor Abidde is a lifetime member of the African Studies and Research Forum (ASRF), the American Association for Chinese Studies (AACS), the Midwest Association for Latin American Studies (MALAS), and the Association of Global South Studies (AGSS), where he currently serves as its vice president/president-elect. He is a 2023 MOFA Taiwan Fellow and a 2024 Carnegie African Diaspora Fellow.

Dramane G. Thiombiano is from Burkina Faso, West Africa. He is an assistant professor at the National Yun-Lin University of Science and Technology. He previously taught in the International Master Program in Asia-Pacific Affairs at National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, where he earned his master’s degree (2010) and Ph.D. (2016). His research interests include entrepreneurship, emerging market analysis, China-Africa relations, Taiwan’s political economy, cross-strait relations, and Taiwan-Africa relations. His most recent publications include: The Beijing Consensus versus the Washington Consensus in Africa: Why Is the Chinese Model Gaining Ground in Africa? (Sun Yat-sen Journal of Humanities, 2016), The Impact of China on the Agency and Negotiating Power of African Countries: Cases of Angola and Niger (African Journal of Political Science and International Relations, 2020); and A Sentiment Based Text Analysis of the Perception of Chinese Infrastructure Development in Africa (International Journal of Social Science Studies, 2022).

“This volume examines contemporary Sino-African relations, offering insights that move
beyond the narrow interpretations often presented by Western voices. This approach addresses many of the unanswered questions surrounding this complex relationship.”

Victor Adetula, Professor of International Relations and Development Studies, University of Jos, Nigeria.

 

“This insightful volume offers a much-needed African perspective on the intricate dynamics of Sino-African relations. Through critical analysis and rich case studies, it challenges prevailing narratives and highlights Africa’s agency in shaping its future. It is a timely and thought-provoking contribution to the discourse on development and international cooperation.”

Kristina Kironska, Assistant Professor, Palacky University Olomouc, Co-Director, Central European Institute of Asian Studies.

 

“The varied perspectives embossed in the volume provide a nuanced exploration of the effects of Chinese policies and practices on African societies. This book is a valuable resource for academics, policymakers, and anyone interested in the intricate global affairs.”

Lawrence Mhandara, Senior International Relations Lecturer, University of Zimbabwe.

 

“A sharp and unflinching analysis that cuts through the myth that greater investment or foreign assistance is the antidote to Africa’s ongoing struggles. The authors explain why the salvation of Africa lies not in the quality or choice of global partners but in how Africans choose and monitor their leaders at the local, state, and national levels.”

Joagni Pare, Proprietor Educational Institution & B2B White Paper Specialist & Marketing Consultant).