Paternalistic prejudice in geopolitical perception: how low-competence stereotypes and cultural positivity jointly predict favorable evaluations of China-Africa relations.

Introduction: Chinese public perceptions of Africa remain understudied at the micro-level, yet they constitute a critical social-psychological foundation for the long-term sustainability of China-Africa bilateral relations. A central paradox motivates this research: how can negative stereotypes of Africa be positively associated with favorable evaluations of China-Africa relations? This study seeks to address this gap by testing an integrated psychological model that simultaneously examines intergroup contact, social distance, and stereotype content in the context of China-Africa relations cognition. Methods: A survey was conducted among 964 Chinese university students. Covariance-based structural equation modeling (CB-SEM) with maximum-likelihood estimation was used to assess a combined psychological model integrating Contact Theory, Social Distance Theory, and the Stereotype Content Model. In addition to the competence dimension assessed by the African Stereotype scale, a direct measure of the warmth dimension was introduced: Cultural Positivity Perception (CPP), operationalized through items assessing African cultural appeal, civilizational contributions, and inclusiveness. Results: Three key associations emerged. First, intergroup contact correlated with decreased social distance while simultaneously increasing the strength of negative competence stereotypes. Second, no significant association existed between social distance, as a proxy for interpersonal affinity, and macro-level China-Africa relations cognition. Third, negative competence stereotypes were the strongest predictive factor of favorable cognitions toward China-Africa relations, with CPP also showing a positive predictive association. Discussion: These findings are interpreted through the lens of Paternalistic Prejudice, wherein low levels of perceived competence and high levels of cultural positivity align with a cognitive framework that supports perceived legitimacy and mutual benefit within a hierarchical relationship. Importantly, as these findings are based on cross-sectional data, they should be interpreted as associations rather than causal effects.