What determines technology transfer in Africa? Factors influencing technology imports from China to African economies

This research aims to elucidate the factors influencing technology transfer, conceptualized as the influx of high-technology imports. The research question posed is: What are the principal determinants that influence the volume of high-tech imports from China to African nations, and how reliable are the conventional gravity model variables when employed with various geographical measures within the context of Chinese high-tech exports to Africa? The study encompasses 53 African economies, categorized into five geographical regions. To examine the determinants of Chinese imports, we applied the trade gravity in levels using a panel data set spanning from 2016 to 2021. We employed the semi-mixed effect method using the Poisson pseudo-maximum likelihood estimator. The findings of the study reveal that non-traditional factors predominantly exert a significant impact on trade flows. While the majority of the variables behaved in accordance with expectations, some anomalies were also detected, which necessitate further consideration in policy formulation.