This research brief summarises and sets in context the emerging findings from the Department for International Development and Economic and Social Research Council-funded project ‘Chinese FDI and structural transformation in Africa’, led by Deborah Brautigam, Director of Johns Hopkins’ China-Africa Research Initiative.

The project is studying the potential for Chinese investment to enhance structural transformation in Africa, with a focus on knowledge transfer between Chinese and African firms. So far studies have been completed on Madagascar, Kenya, Zambia and Malawi.