China’s image in Africa: economic engagement and the challenge of social acceptance

This article critically examines China’s expanding economic engagement in Africa and its implications for China’s image and social acceptance across the continent. Employing soft power theory as its analytical lens, it explores how infrastructure projects, trade partnerships, and cultural diplomacy – including educational exchanges and strategic media efforts – interact with diverse African responses marked by both developmental gains and persistent socio-political frictions such as labor disputes, environmental concerns, and neo-colonial perceptions. The analysis reveals African agency as central to these dynamics, with local actors actively negotiating Chinese influence amid evolving financial strategies and geopolitical competition. Findings demonstrate that while economic initiatives yield tangible benefits, enduring social legitimacy hinges on transparent cultural integration rather than material investment alone. By bridging economic statecraft and grassroots contestation, this study illuminates the complex pathways shaping sustainable China-Africa relations in a multipolar era.