Paternalistic Prejudice: How Perceptions of Low Competence Foster Positive Evaluations of China-Africa Relations

Filling a gap in micro-level research on Sino-African perceptions, the study examines a paradox - African negative stereotyping leads to positive evaluations of China-Africa relations by Chinese youth. The empirical research engaged 964 Chinese university students, with the data subjected to Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling. Our results lead to three conclusions: (1) inter-group contact mitigates social distance as it relates to intergroup perceptions but strengthens negative stereotypes around competence (2) interpersonal affinity, through reflections on the past, does not predict macro-level evaluations of relationships, and (3) the strongest predictor of positive perceptions of China-Africa relations was the stereotype of Africa's low competence. The evidence illustrates a "Two-Level Model of Perception". The paradox is explained by "Paternalistic Prejudice", which stipulates that low competence, even in a high-warmth context produces a framework that leads to the positive evaluation of a hierarchical relationship.