China and South Africa Strengthen Military Ties

 Defence Web published on 21 May 2024 an article titled "China and South Africa Agree to Strengthen Military Ties Amid Fresh Visits" by Guy Martin.

China's Defense Minister Admiral Dong Jun met with Vice Admiral Monde Lobese of the South African Navy in Beijing on 20 May to discuss strengthening military cooperation.  On 16 May, the PLAN frigate CNS Xuchang arrived in Cape Town.  

Navigating China's Maritime Silk Road

The European Council on Foreign Relations published in April 2018 a study titled "Blue China: Navigating the Maritime Silk Road to Europe" by Mathieu Duchatel and Alexandre Sheldon Duplaix.

The paper focuses on the main corridor of the Maritime Silk Road--the Malacca/Suez route through the Indian Ocean--where European interests are large and immediate. It emphasizes that while economics is the main driver of the initiative, the Maritime Silk Road is also about naval power and international influence and forms part of Xi Jinping's broader national strategy. The significant increase in PLA Navy port calls in the Indian Ocean and round Africa in recent years is a clear indicator of this intent.

China's Security Policy in Africa and the Western Indian Ocean

The International Affairs Forum asked me to write a short piece on China's Security Policy in Africa and the Western Indian Ocean. My response underscores China's limited security interests in Africa. On the other hand, it points out that China's expanding economy may require it to play a greater security role along the sea lanes in the western Indian Ocean that bring so much oil and raw materials from Africa and the Middle East to China.

Click here to read the commentary.