China’s relationship with Africa, formalized in the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), has received considerable attention and debate. Critics consider it lopsided and exploitative, giving China access to natural resources, jobs for its labourers, and markets for its traders while undermining efforts to promote democracy and human rights on the continent, exacerbating corruption, and creating unsustainable debt. But others see it as more multifaceted with benefits for both sides. Malawi’s ties with China began only in 2008, when then-President Bingu wa Mutharika abandoned the country’s long-standing diplomatic relations with Taiwan. In return, China began sponsoring a number of high-profile projects in Malawi, including the Parliament Building, Karonga-Chitipa Road, Bingu International Conference Centre, and the two fivestar hotels and shopping mall at the heart of the Capital City. But in the past five years, the number of high-profile projects has declined, as have presidential references to China as a key friend. How do average Malawians see their country’s relations with China? Findings from Afrobarometer surveys since 2008 show that despite being a late entrant on the diplomatic scene, China is seen as an important economic player. But perceptions of its influence have declined since 2014, public awareness of its assistance is limited, and many Malawians think their country has borrowed too heavily from China. Still, among Malawians’ preferred development models, China ties with the United States, just behind South Africa.
