China and India’s economic relations with African Countries – neo-colonialism eastern style?

Abstract

A significant feature of globalisation is the advent of Chinese and Indian firms as overseas investors. Investments by these two countries though not large in volume have grown apace and given a new lease of life to writings on foreign direct investment. Most of these studies including the statistical studies on the determinants of these investments replicate the conclusions of studies on foreign investment in general. Although not large in volume investments of Chinese and Indian firms in natural resource extraction industries, including oil in African countries, have reignited the controversies on the contribution of foreign investment to development. This paper reviews the contribution of these studies and argues that a fresh perspective is required to analyse both the determinants and impact of foreign investment by China and India on the host economies. Their contribution to the development of the African countries may be much more substantial than that of investments by the developed countries mostly because of their experience and awareness of development issues.