"Build it, and they will come" is China’s dictum for infrastructure construction at home, but has it been able to do the same in Africa? A new report by the National Bureau of Asian Research looks at just how well China’s huge investments in that continent are turning out.
The basic numbers are impressive: Over the last 20 years, a small handful of Chinese financiers and state-owned enterprises have financed one in five new infrastructure projects across Africa, and built a third of them. Over half of the Chinese-funded projects are transport sector-related, including ports and railways, followed by those in energy and power.
But not all projects have produced windfall gains, and Chinese stakeholders have faced several challenges. This week, The Wire takes stock of China’s infrastructure in Africa, the companies involved, and how it stands to gain.
WHAT HAS CHINA BUILT?
Data: Kardon, Chen and Downs via National Bureau of Asian Research (2022)
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