Climate Change Concern and Perceptions of China in Africa

• In Event: Foreign Aid and Public Opinion

Abstract

This article examines whether concern for climate change moderates recipient country public opinions of the Chinese government among those that live proximal to Chinese energy, mining, and environmental aid projects. China is the largest donor of infrastructure aid (including energy aid) in the world. My project addresses fundamental gaps in the literature as Chinese foreign investment is correlated with positive opinions of China at the recipient country level, yet those living proximal to Chinese aid projects often have less favorable views of China. This study contributes to the aid literature on recipient country opinions of donor countries by demonstrating how individuals’ policy preferences can moderate their opinions of a donor country. It also contributes to the growing literature on the Chinese aid and its effects. The data represents a novel advancement in the literature on Chinese aid as I follow Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) coding techniques to categorize each aid project as climate mitigation aid, climate adaptation aid, or neither. I then utilize Chinese development assistance and public opinion data from the Afrobarometer survey, I analyze data from over 700 aid projects across Africa from 2000-2021. I conclude with results.

Author

• Forrest Lee Owens, University of California, Davis