An empirical analysis of Chinese outward foreign direct investment in Africa

Ross, Andrew G

Abstract

foreign direct investment (OFDI) into a number of African countries for the period 2003-2012.
Design/methodology/approach – A series of panel data models are used to estimate the
determinants of Chinese OFDI into eight African countries: Nigeria, South Africa, Zambia, Ghana,
Kenya, Algeria, Egypt and the Sudan.
Findings – Results highlighted that Chinese investment in African countries is driven by access to
natural resources, and factors related to infrastructure quality and the regulatory environment enforced
by host governments.
Originality/value – To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is one of the first papers to identify
empirical determinants of Chinese OFDI in Africa and it contributes from two perspectives. Firstly, it
identifies drivers behind Chinese OFDI, but also importantly from the African perspective helps
understand the reasons that attract investment from one of the world’s largest investors into one of the
world’s poorest regions, given the emphasis that is placed on foreign direct investment today as an
instrument of growth and development.

Citation

Ross, A. G. (2015). An empirical analysis of Chinese outward foreign direct investment in Africa. Journal of Chinese Economic and Foreign Trade Studies, 8(1), 4-19. https://doi.org/10.1108/JCEFTS-12-2014-0025

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jan 31, 2015
• Online Publication Date: Jan 31, 2015
• Publication Date: Feb 2, 2015
• Deposit Date: Jun 10, 2015
• Journal: Journal of Chinese Economic and Foreign Trade Studies
• Print ISSN: 1754-4408
• Publisher: Emerald
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 8
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 4-19
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/JCEFTS-12-2014-0025
• Keywords: China; Determinants; Africa; Empirical; Panel data; Outward FDI; F23; O16; R11; F63
• Public URL: http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/id/eprint/8639
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JCEFTS-12-2014-0025