China in Africa: an asymmetrical relationship.

China is often described as omnipresent in Africa. Yet, the data reveals that it is actually a minor investor on the continent, accounting for less than 2% of its foreign investment portfolio in 2021—compared to over 63% in Asia and nearly 5% in Europe. So, how can we make sense of this paradox?

To explore this question, Ali Laïdi interviews Xavier Auregan, senior lecturer at the Catholic University of Lille and author of China, African Power, published by Armand Colin.