Reduced Chinese lending activity in Africa has prompted a steady exodus of Chinese laborers from the continent over the past five years, according to a new report published by the Beijing-based consultancy Development Reimagined and The Oxford China International Consultancy.

While the number of loans is one factor, researchers at the two organizations also suggested that the types of projects China builds in Africa may also play a part. Whereas early on in China’s engagement in Africa, labor-intensive infrastructure projects required significant amounts of labor but today the focus is increasingly on technology, logistics, and other initiatives that require fewer people.