The Africa Center for Strategic Studies published on 30 October 2023 an analysis titled "China's 'Military Political Work' and Professional Military Education in Africa" by Paul Nantulya.
The People's Liberation Army's (PLA) service branches were educating about 2,000 African military officers annually at military and political academies prior to COVID-19. At least 50 African countries participate regularly in Chinese professional military education (PME).
African Union officials have repeatedly warned that it is a bad idea to invite military intervention in politics and to socialize militaries to serve the party in power. Yet, this is the theory behind Chinese PME. African students enrolled in Chinese military academies are exposed to China's worldviews and ways of doing things, including PLA strategic culture, how the Communist Party operates, and how it interacts with and controls China's armed forces.
