Effect of Chinese Foreign Direct Investment

Purpose – This study aims to examine the quantitative effect and direction of Chinese Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) on economic growth in Africa using a sample of 20 African countries from 2003 to 2012 with data obtained from United Nations Conference on Trade and Development and the World Bank. Design/methodology/approach – The study used panel least squares regression, specifically fixed effect model to examine the quantitative effect of Chinese FDI on economic growth in Africa. The study also used Granger causality test to examine whether a causal relationship exists between economic growth and China’s FDI in Africa. Findings – The study finds that a 1 per cent increase in China’s FDI stock in Africa significantly increases Africa’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth by 0.607 per cent, all things being equal. Furthermore, the study finds that a causal link exists between GDP growth in Africa and China’s FDI and the nature of causality is unidirectional.