Determinants of Chinese Outward Direct Investment in Africa

The aim of the paper is to analyze determinants of Chinese outward direct investment in Africa. Dominant theories of foreign direct investment suggest the main motives to invest abroad include cost savings, search for resources, search for new markets and effort to enhance market position. We expose these motives to a statistical analysis based on data on Chinese investments in 50 African countries for time period 2003 - 2011. We use descriptive statistics based on outer terciles of sorted statistical series, pooled regression and fixed effects model. We come to the conclusion that main determinants of Chinese outward direct investment in Africa are size of the domestic market, abundance in natural resources and good trade links with the country.