Ngonlardje Kabra Mbaidjol’s analysis of China in Africa is grounded in both academic debates and his experience working for the UN. The book wades into debates which are of great importance for many geographers, yet it offers an alternative reading of the China in Africa debates which might prove thought provoking for many. In this review I address some of the key issues raised in African countries and the global scramble for China, anchoring them within geographical literature and concepts. Specifically, south-south cooperation, state capitalism and relational regulation. The book is broadly broken into three sections: the first introduces the wider context for China in Africa, particularly the history of geopolitical relationship and south-south cooperation. The second, on China itself and its relationships with neighbouring Asian countries. The third turns to the specifics of China in Africa today.