Russian and Chinese Initiatives in Africa: Competitive Cooperation

Asia Dialogue published on 26 June 2019 a commentary titled "Competitive Cooperation: The Connection between Chinese and Russian Initiatives in Africa and Beyond" by Tom Harper, University of Surrey.

China's entrenchment in African economies serves as a backdrop for Russia's return to the continent, which represents part of its wider bid to augment Russian influence globally as well as expand into African markets. The purpose of Russia's engagement with African states is to cement its influence through political and military assistance in the same way as China has done through infrastructure and economic initiatives.