Countries have been opting for influence in the “Global South” to build legitimacy for their positions and actions. Yet, little is known on how citizens see these actors’ different types of engagements with their host countries. We are drawing on an original survey dataset from South Africa, Kenya, Ethiopia, and Nigeria (N=8000) and present novel findings of this larger project. Who do citizens prefer their country to align with – China, Western countries, others or none? What explains citizens' alignment preferences? To what degree does Chinese soft power contribute to its overseas image and what other factors determine how citizens of these selected countries view China?

Wiebke Rabe (Presenter) is Assistant Professor of International Relations at the University of Bremen. Her research focuses on China’s global investments in natural resources and the domestic drivers thereof.

Genia Kostka (Presenter) is Professor of Chinese Politics at the Freie Universität Berlin. Her research focuses on China’s digital transformation, environmental politics and political economy.

Anja Osei (Discussant) is Professor at the Otto Suhr Institute of Political Science at Freie Universität Berlin. Her research focuses on African politics and political sociology, with a particular focus on democratization and electoral autocracies.

Klaus Schlichte (Discussant) is Professor of International Relations and World Society at the University of Bremen. His current research focuses on knowledge in German security policy, social dynamics in African societies, and armed conflicts.