The Center for Strategic and International Studies published in August 2021 a study titled "Personal Ties: Measuring Chinese and U.S. Engagement with African Security Chiefs" by Judd Devermont, Marielle Harris and Alison Albelda.
The conclusions are based on an open source database measuring Chinese and U.S. engagement with 454 current and former African security chiefs. China engages with top African security chiefs at less than half the rate of the United States, with engagements peaking in 2019 followed by a sharp decline in 2020.
