I think that American companies cannot legally provide any money back to those making the decisions, in the countries.
I do not believe China has any such compunctions.
Big, big difference.
And a huge advantage for Chinese companies.
I do not believe China has any such compunctions.
Not only do they not have any such compunctions, it is unspoken Chinese policy. In spite of a quasi-capitalist veneer, the Chinese Communist Party, to include the People's Liberation Army, is a significant investor in Africa.
They are after African natural resources and will willingly do anything short of starting a war to obtain them. While there have been some concerns about the long term effect of this, most Chinese decision makers could give a rat's rear end about Africa and Africans. They want resources, and they want them now.