China's Information and Ideological Influence in African Countries as a Tool to Counter Western Neocolonialism

This article examines the mechanisms and goals of China’s information and ideological influence on African countries. This topic is relevant in the context of increasing global competition for influence in Africa, where China seeks to establish an alternative development model, opposing it to Western neocolonialism. The article provides an analysis of key aspects of China’s information and ideological strategy: development of media presence (China Global Television Network, Xinhua, CR), educational initiatives (Confucius Institutes, scholarship programs), and economic instruments of soft power (infrastructure investments and loans). Particular attention is paid to how China forms a positive image of its own model of socio-economic development, promoting the principles of non-interference in internal affairs and mutually beneficial cooperation. In addition, the article examines how China’s information policy serves as a means of combating Western rhetoric about the Chinese “debt trap” and the threat of dependence of African countries, and analyzes the reaction of African elites and public opinion to Chinese media and educational initiatives. Thus, this article presents an analysis of how China uses information and ideological tools to strengthen its position in Africa, offering an alternative to the Western model of interaction with developing countries.

neocolonialism, information and ideological influence, information war, Africa, China, USA