Reuters published on 11 February 2025 a special report titled "China Builds Space Alliances in Africa as Trump Cuts Foreign Aid" by Joe Roulette, Eduardo Baptista, Sara El Safty, and Joe Brock.
China has forged nearly two dozen pacts with African countries in its bid to surpass the US in space investments in satellites and infrastructure. This is winning friends and giving China more eyes on the skies as the US slashes foreign aid for developing countries.
The space equipment that Beijing is placing in developing countries may help China create a global surveillance network. China has democratized space to enhance its authoritarian capabilities, and it is doing so effectively. As China advances its relationships in Africa with technology incentives, the US is pulling back.
