China's recent stepping up of relations with Africa is one of the most significant developments on the African continent for decades. For some it promises an end to Africa's dependent aid relationships, as the Chinese bring expertise, technology and a stronger business focus. But for others it is no more than a new form of imperialism.

This book is the first to systematically study the motivations, relationships and impact of this migration. It focuses not just on the Chinese migrants but also on the perceptions of, and linkages to, their African 'hosts'. By studying this everyday interaction we get a much richer picture of whether this is South-South cooperation, as political leaders would have us believe, or a more complex relationship that can both compromise and encourage African development.

Giles Mohan is professor of international development at the Open University. He has published extensively in geographical, development studies and African studies journals and has acted as a consultant for a range of BBC documentaries on issues of international development.

Ben Lampert is a lecturer in the Development Policy and Practice Group at the Open University.

May Tan-Mullins is a human geographer at the University of Nottingham Ningbo, China, having previously worked at the National University of Singapore and Durham University.

Daphne Chang is a staff tutor and a faculty associate of the Development Policy and Practice Group at the Open University.