Chinese influence on economic growth in Sub-Saharan Africa.

This thesis examines the difference between the influence of trade between Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and China and the influence of trade between SSA and the rest of the world on economic growth in SSA. The examination is done by estimating coefficients using an ARDL-Model. The main explanatory variables in this model are export and foreign direct investment (FDI), the dependent variable is economic growth, measured in GDP. Chinese imports from SSA are remarkably focussed on natural resources. The resource-seeking nature of Chinese involvement in SSA differentiates the export patterns of SSA towards China and towards the rest of the world. In this distinction between the two export patterns originates the difference between the influence of trade with China and trade with the rest of the world on economic growth in SSA. Trade with China turns out to be negatively impacting economic growth, whereas trade with the rest of the world has a positive impact.