As an independent release, the single, initially released on Liverpool's Inevitable label in early 1982, had limited distribution, although was played by Radio 1's John Peel, which also led the group to getting their first BBC session for the disc jockey (DJ) in March 1982, well before the release of their debut studio album.
Upon its re-release on Virgin Records in a remixed form in August 1982, the single achieved wider distribution and listening audience, meeting with critical acclaim. Smash Hits wrote "Intelligent lyrics, an insistent hook and some clever drumming should put it in the mainstream as well as the independent chart."[3] Simon Hills in Record Mirror welcomed the re-release of the "sub-disco record, where insidious guitars lend a distinctive feel that others lack."[4]
Spin retrospectively wrote, "China Crisis showed it could create music that flowed with a strong rhythmic base, most strongly demonstrated on the track "African and White". While China Crisis appeared to be singing about stopping racism, they were perhaps more concerned with stopping musical racism or musical compartmentalization."[5]