This article examines China’s foreign policy toward sub-Saharan Africa since 2012, analysing how Beijing’s strategic objectives are operationalized through a coordinated set of political, economic, security, and cultural instruments. Using a mixed-methods design—policy-document analysis, case studies and descriptive trade and investment data—the study maps a clear “goal–instrument” linkage that structures China’s regional engagement. Findings show that institutional platforms provide the architecture for multilevel engagement; economic instruments advance structural economic influence and market access; security contributions consolidate political trust and global leadership claims; and cultural tools build social acceptance and reduce political risk. The paper argues that China’s policy has moved from transactional resource-seeking toward an integrated, normative-institutional model aimed at reshaping aspects of global governance and securing long-term strategic influence in the Global South. By synthesising instruments across domains, the article fills a gap in the literature on China–Africa relations and offers policy-relevant insights for host governments and multilateral actors.

Rongrong Ma, Erzhuo Wu. China's Foreign Policy toward Sub-Saharan Africa Since 2012: Strategic Goals, Policy Instruments, and Global Implications. International Journal of Frontiers in Sociology (2025), Vol. 7, Issue 7: 18-30. https://doi.org/10.25236/IJFS.2025.070704.

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