This paper compares the patterns of the US and Chinese outward foreign direct investment (FDI) in Africa. The main objective of the paper is to examine if the motives for FDI for these two countries differ. This is done first with a descriptive analysis and then with empirical research. It reveals that Africa attracts only a small fraction of FDI from both the US and China. However, compared to the US, China's FDI outflow to Africa is rising rapidly. It