The Dragon's Gift

The Real Story of China in Africa

By: Deborah Brautigam

Narrated by: Pam Ward

Is China a rogue donor, as some media pundits suggest? Or is China helping the developing world pave a pathway out of poverty, as the Chinese claim? In the last few years, China's aid program has leapt out of the shadows. Media reports about huge aid packages, support for pariah regimes, regiments of Chinese labor, and the ruthless exploitation of workers and natural resources in some of the poorest countries in the world sparked fierce debates. These debates, however, took place with very few hard facts. China's tradition of secrecy about its aid fueled rumors and speculation, making it difficult to gauge the risks and opportunities provided by China's growing embrace.

This well-timed book, by one of the world's leading experts, provides the first comprehensive account of China's aid and economic cooperation overseas. Deborah Brautigam tackles the myths and realities, explaining what the Chinese are doing, how they do it, how much aid they give, and how it all fits into their "going global" strategy. Drawing on three decades of experience in China and Africa and hundreds of interviews in Africa, China, Europe, and the US, Brautigam shines new light on a topic of great interest.

©2009 Deborah Brautigam (P)2018 Tantor

Useful for those with an open mind

A balanced assessment of Chinese investments in the African continent. There is a lot of information here. Prof brautigam lays out positives, negatives and comparisons to china’s own development.

Not sure why some of the negative reviews here seem to think the book is too hard on china? There will always be mistakes in business, I hope that much is obvious…

Read kwame nkrumah’s “neocolonialism” and Walter Rodney’s “how Europe under developed Africa” as companion pieces :)

A fresh perspective

Loved it.
Fact filled, the kind of stuff you don't easily find by simply watching short YouTube videos and searching stuff on google.

If you love Economic Aid this is your book

Intresting book has some interesting points and perspectives contrary to other things I've read,but it's good to hear different points of view.

Great insight

Thank you for the research and setting the records straight. Shows China-Africa relationship is complicated.

The Dragon’s Gift.

I enjoyed the whole book. It is excellent in given a historical perspective of China’s involvement in Africa. Some things are bad. A number of things are good. It shows how misinformation distorts some of who China is and about. I would recommend this book to all students interested in international studies and travel for the reasons cited above.