The construction of theaters, opera houses, and other cultural facilities by China as gifts to foreign countries is a part of China's foreign aid program.^[1] In a white paper published by China in 2009 on its aid projects in the area of civil construction, the building of cultural facilities is one of the types identified among a total of 2,025 projects stated as built by a Chinese grant or no-interest loan to the recipient country.^[1]

•  Algeria
  • A national opera house in Algiers is under construction as a US$40 million gift by China to Algeria.^[2] The foundation stone for the 1400-seat venue was laid in a ceremony in November 2012.^[2]
•  Cameroon
  • The Palais des Congrès de Yaoundé was built by China and opened in 1982. The venue is a 1,500-seat multipurpose performance hall with "an ultra-modern stage boasting the country's best sound and lighting equipment."^[3]
•  Ghana
  • The National Theatre in Accra was opened in January 1993 after construction by China.^[4] The theatre is a gift as the loan from China funding the construction would later be cancelled in 2007. China granted a further US$2 million to refurbish the theatre for Ghana's golden jubilee celebrations.
  • The Drama Studio at the University of Ghana at Legon was built under the program as the original work on the National Theatre.^[4]
•  Mauritius
  • The Plaza Theatre in Rose Hill was renovated in 2008 using funds provided by China in the form of a non-interest loan.^[5]
•  Senegal
  • The Grand Theatre in Dakar was constructed from 2008 to 2011 by Complant as a gift.^[6] The six-storey, 1800-seat theatre was built at a cost of 16 billion CFA francs, of which China paid 14 billion CFA francs and Senegal contributed the rest.^[6]
  • Construction on a Museum of Black Civilization located in Dakar began in 2011, funded by a grant of $US30 million from China.^[7] The contractor for the project is the Shanghai Construction Group.
•  Somalia
  • National Theatre of Somalia was built by China as a gift to Somalia in 1967.^[8]
•  Sri Lanka
  • Nelum Pokuna Mahinda Rajapaksa Theatre is theatre in Colombo built in 2011 by China as gift to enhance ties with Sri Lanka.^[9] Construction of the 1288-seat venue was handled by the Yanjian Group.^[9]
•  Trinidad and Tobago
  • National Academy for the Performing Arts in Port of Spain