Three essays on public perceptions of China’s developmental presence in Africa

Conventional discussions of China’s activities in Africa tend to emphasize elite diplomacy and national-level state strategies. This dissertation shifts attention to public perception, examining factors that shape citizens’ views of China and their engagement with Africa. I argue that perceptions are sector-sensitive and shaped substantially by local project exposure and comparison with competing foreign actors. Furthermore, policy framing matters when soliciting public support for closer engagement with Africa. Situated at the intersection of international political economy and public opinion, this dissertation demonstrates the complexity of public perceptions and cautions against black-or-white narratives about China’s activities in Africa. The first part examines African perceptions of the effectiveness of Chinese aid in the context of donor competition. Using Afrobarometer data and geocoded aid project data from 35 African countries, I show that proximity to Chinese aid projects can reduce confidence in Chinese aid effectiveness, while exposure to Western and World Bank projects conditions these evaluations. These perceptions are sector-specific, and China performs less well in social infrastructure and services projects. The second part examines African perceptions of China as a development model. Using Afrobarometer and geocoded investment project data from 21 African countries, I find that living near an announced Chinese greenfield foreign direct investment project increases support for viewing China as the best development model for one’s home country. However, exposure to operational projects dampens this effect, especially in the service sector, suggesting negative experiences with project exposure and unmet expectations formed between project announcement and implementation. The third part evaluates how different framings of the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment—as helping Africa, advancing US influence, or countering China—affect public support for closer US-Africa engagement. Using an original survey experiment in the US, I find that Americans generally support closer engagement with Africa, but US-centric framing decreases support. China-centric and Africa-centric framings do not substantially increase support relative to the baseline. Democrats, however, are consistently more supportive than Republicans or independents across all framings.