China’s Strategic Play in Africa

By Luke Bencie and Emily Gmeiner

Travelers to Africa over the past decade may have spotted a disconcerting trend. The continent has been besieged by multi-billion-dollar infrastructure projects. Construction cranes regularly dot the skylines of cities such as Lagos, Kigali, Nairobi, and Luanda. While this may initially seem like progress, especially for the developing world, the reality is that the continent’s natural resources are being ravaged. In one of the most powerful – and uncontested – strategic geopolitical moves in decades, China is betting big on Africa… and the rest of the world is just now trying to catch up!

It’s no surprise that the PRC has been ramping up its economic and political portfolios on the continent, with the intention of enhancing its need for valuable resources. Let’s face it, 1.4 billion people require a tremendous number of daily supplies – from eggs to cocoa beans and oil to natural gas. Throw into the mix even more precious commodities such as diamonds, gold, uranium, platinum, and cobalt, and you can see China’s captivated interest.

In just the past few years, China has funded over 3,000 projects valued at close to USD $100 billion. That accounts for over 30% of all Africa’s major construction projects, investing more than the other top eight lenders combined (to include the World Bank, the African Development Bank, and the US and European development banks). Considering the return of Great Power Competition with China, the United St...