China-Africa: Implications for US National Security

The Arroyo Center at the Rand Corporation in Santa Monica, California, just published a book by Lloyd Thrall titled "China's Expanding African Relations: Implications for U.S. National Security."  It is available online free of charge. 

It explores China's rapidly expanding involvement in Africa in order to better inform U.S. thinking about its relations both with China and with African countries.  The study pays particular attention to geostrategic competition in Africa, potential security threats driving Chinese engagement with African states and assesses potential medium-term changes in Sino-African relations across these three dimensions.  It then assesses how China's interests and behavior on the continent affect the interests of the United States.  The report recommends that the United States view China's sometimes unfavorable activities in Africa in context and continue to seek opportunities to engage Beijing on mutual interests, such as defeating violent extremists, improving African infrastructure to promote trade and development, and encouraging economic and political stability on the continent.