China Expanding? | Op-ED | Security Lense | 08-Sep-2025
Chinese close engagement with Africa is not new. Beijing and Africa share close ties since 1950, after foreign minister trips to the different African countries. This continuous deepen engagement with African population, historical interests mainly economic and political evolving now to strategic interests, gaining votes at UN, increased use of its currency and strengthening diplomatic ties with African countries plays into China’s ambitions of being major player in a multi-polar world.
Africa serves as a potential lucrative market for China with it under-served markets offers huge potential for firms. From last two decades, China has become largest trading partner of Africa. According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), 20 percent of the region export and 16 percent of Africa’s import to and from China, recorded dollar 282 billion in total trade volume in 2023.
China imports most of the natural resources such as metals, mineral products and fuel that is about three fifths of Africa’s export to China and have strategic relevance in return of wide range of goods such a manufactured product, industrial and agricultural machinery etc. exported to Africa. Moreover, China as emerged as the largest bilateral creditor to Africa by providing it with new source of infrastructure, mining, and energy financing.
In addition, China and Africa continue to strengthen their economic relation through various strategic plans and initiatives, for instance, under the framework of Belt and Road Initiative and Forum on China-Africa Cooperation since 2021.
The cooperation focuses on aligning the BRI with Africa Union’s Agenda 2063 for the socioeconomic transformation of the continent within next 50 years by prioritizing improved infrastructure connectivity, trade facilitates, policy coordination, financial integration and economic integration between China and Africa.
Concerning to the Foreign Direct Investment, Chinese firms are still only the fifth-largest investors in Africa and invests heavily in construction and manufacturing despite of the fact that western companies are more focused on resources and the financial sector.
China plays a major role in Africa’s construction sector, often working on projects funded by loans from Chinese banks. For instance, in 2019 Chinese contractors accounted for 60 percent of the total value of construction work in Africa. These events led to the significant increase in Chinese FDI over the last two decades.
In 2003, the annual FDI was approximately dollar 75 million and peaked at dollar 5 billion in 2022, representing 4.4 percent of the region’s total FDI. The Chinese Belt and Road Initiative, a global development strategy presents a framework for China’s FDI directed towards transportation, energy, mining, and infrastructure.
Out of the 3000 Chinese enterprises investments in Africa, more than 70 percent is likely to be private sectors rather than its state-run enterprises. These private sector businesses will likely lead trade and investment in Africa and will accelerate by promoting the growth of regional value chains through African Continental Free Trade Area (ACFTA), offering Chinese businesses access to a larger African market.
This trade agreement will help in increasing international exports and intra-African trade specifically in agriculture and green-technology minerals, unlocking opportunities for local and global businesses to enter and expand throughout the continent.
In recent years, China has expanded its influence in Africa through strategic partnerships. The Forum for China-Africa Cooperation Beijing Action plan for 2025-2027 is notably signed for more security commitments, highlighting China’s aim of becoming major security player in Africa.
Initially in 2000s China held less than 5 percent of African weapon inventories and today is training roughly 2000 African officers becoming leading arms supplier on the continent. About 70 percent of African countries now operate Chinese armored vehicles.
China’s joint drills with African nations such as 2024 Tanzania-China-Mozambique land and sea exercises and the joint Chinese and Egyption air force drills in May 2025 were respectively the largest Chinese deployments in Africa ever. Moreover, China has deployed47 escort task groups in the Gulf of Aden and conducted 280 defense exchanges since 2007.
The China’s concept of security known as the Global security Initiative helps it expanding security engagements in Africa integrated with deep political support for promoting Chinese security norms and governance practices. However, with few oversight regulations, it has been noted that China’s arms and surveillance equipment have been used by African governments to suppress political opponents.
Nonetheless, Chinese investments and loans have declined in recent years due to several factors including slow Chinese economic growth, fall in infrastructure lending, and its desire for sustainable development model. A change is observed in loan commitments from dollar 28.5 billion in 2016 to dollar 995.5 million in 2022.
In addition, China announced dollar 40 billion financial commitment to Africa, highlighting a significant decrease from dollar 60 billion promise in 2018. Though this engagement is framed as mutually beneficial, critics argue that it reflects the patterns of neo-colonialism.
However, China’s engagement on the continent, rooted in mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and a win-win approach and has actively helped the continent in its decolonization and development efforts.
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