This research investigates the effect of Chinese investment on public opinion toward China in Africa through a novel geospatial lens. We integrate geocoded data detailing the location, magnitude, and sector (e.g., infrastructure, mining, manufacturing) of Chinese investment projects across Africa with continent-wide, spatially referenced survey data on African attitudes toward China. Using advanced spatial econometrics, we identify the causal effects of investment on public opinion and investigate how these effects are mediated by local job creation and community level engagement. In doing so, this study offers a nuanced understanding of whether, and how, foreign investments by authoritarian states can influence public perception across different regions and communities in Africa.