Chinese private-sector investments in African textile industries draw directly on China’s former foreign aid projects. Successful private-sector investments clearly benefit from the lessons and experience gained through China’s initial aid-funded operations. These public projects serve as information and logistics platforms for new entrants : meanwhile, the involvement of Chinese sovereign wealth funds might be viewed as a form of partial nationalization. These relationships mean that any examination of China’s direct investment in sub-Saharan Africa must avoid simplistic distinctions and recognize the very close ties between public and private Chinese companies operating in Africa. The sometimes-superficial differences that distinguish public from private companies reflect the versatility and evolution of China’s strategy and its commitment to the African textile industry.