China Deploys Its 49th Naval Task Force to the Gulf of Aden

 The China Daily Brief posted on 12 August 2026 an article titled "Chinese Navy Dispatches 49th Escort Task Force to Gulf of Aden."

The Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) dispatched on 12 August its 49th escort task force from a naval port in Sanya, Hainan Province, to the Gulf of Aden and waters of Somalia.  It consists of the guided-missile destroyer Kunming, the guided-missile frigate Yueyang, and the supply ship Luomahu.  The fleet is equipped with two shipborne helicopters and dozens of special operations personnel.

China-South Africa Supply Chain Issues

 The Foreign Policy Research Institute published on 16 July 2026 an article titled "Beyond the Supply Chain: South Africa's China Dilemma" by Raghvendra Kumar.

The question facing South Africa is whether China's evolving supply chain diplomacy is designed to support Pretoria's fair and equitable participation or to reinforce Beijing's own geoeconomic priorities.  South Africa is China's largest trading partner in Africa, but it runs a large trade deficit with Beijing.  

The author concludes that South Africa's relationship with China will be successful only if Pretoria retains control over its critical infrastructure, strategic industries, and foreign policy choices.  

China in the Indian Ocean

 The Australian Strategic Policy Institute published in June 2026 a report titled "Pressure Points Part 3: China in the Pacific and Indian Oceans" by Joe Keary, Rajeswari Pillai Rajagopalan, and Linus Cohen.  

The study contains a discussion on mapping China's security engagement, trends and analysis, China's growing presence, how major players are responding, and China's future in the Indian Ocean.  

China Embeds Itself in Africa's Maritime Networks

 The Africa Center for Strategic Studies published on 10 June 2026 a paper titled "Beyond Ports: China Embeds Itself in Africa's Maritime Networks" by Paul Nantulya.  

China is Africa's largest trade partner, major financer and builder of African ports, and has embedded itself in other aspects of the continent's maritime networks.

China's growing role in training, governance, and data systems could entrench long-term influence over Africa's institutions, potentially normalizing Chinese standards and creating structural dependencies on Chinese-built physical and digital infrastructure.  This can limit Africa's domestic competition, divert scarce revenue, introduce data and security concerns, and reduce policy flexibility and bargaining power.

PLA Navy Destroyer Visits Seychelles

  Global Times published on 27 June 2026 an article titled "Chinese Navy's Destroyer Tangshan Arrives in Seychelles for a Friendly Visit" by Wang Zixuan.

The PLA Navy's guided-missile destroyer Tangshan arrived at Port Victoria in Seychelles on 26 June for a 5-day port call.  The Tangshan was part of the 48th naval task force in the Gulf of Aden that arrived in October 2025.

China Expands Influence in Africa's Maritime Networks

The Africa Center for Strategic Studies published on 10 June 2026 a study titled "Beyond Ports: China Embeds Itself in Africa's Maritime Networks" by Paul Nantulya.   

China has established new shipping corridors that connect African port clusters in West, North, and Southern Africa to Chinese port hubs in Qingdao, Tianjin, and Yantai.  These routes add to the dozens of direct lines between African and Chinese ports, reflecting growing integration into China-centered maritime networks.  

China's Expanding Airpower in the Western Indian Ocean

 Strategic Horizons, a publication of the Air University, just published an edition that contains my article titled "China's Expanding Airpower in the Western Indian Ocean."

This is an in-depth analysis of China's evolving airpower posture across the Western Indian Ocean from Pakistan to the coast of Africa from Egypt to South Africa, including the island countries.  It reflects research as of mid-2025 

Kenya and China Advance Trade and Railway Cooperation

 The South China Morning Post published on 27 March 2026 an article titled "Kenya Secures Trade Deal with China but Rising Debt, US Competition Complicates Deeper Ties" by Jevans Nyabiage.

Kenya secured trade and infrastructure deals during a visit by China's Vice President Han Zheng but Nairobi's rising debt and balancing ties with the West complicates its relationship with Beijing.  

Will China Pursue a Military Base on Africa's Atlantic Coast?

 China-Africa Security Radar published on 10 March 2026 an article titled "Will China Pursue a Military Base in Africa's Atlantic Ocean?" by Paa Kwesi Wolseley Prah.  

The author argues that contrary to conventional wisdom in US military circles, China is not particularly interested in having a military base on Africa's Atlantic coast.  It would represent a massive logistical overextension at a time when China needs to concentrate naval power close to home.  Such a base would be highly exposed and vulnerable to attack, making it a strategic liability rather than an asset.  In any event, by investing extensively in West African commercial ports, China has access, at least in peace time, for PLA Navy port calls.  

Comment:  While the author makes some good points, it was generally thought that China, which professed publicly that it did not believe in military bases outside China, would not establish a military base in Djibouti--until it did.  

China's Distant-Water Fishing in Indian Ocean Has Multiple Motives

 Mizzima, a non-profit foundation that supports social change and development in Myanmar, published on 28 January 2026 a commentary titled "Weaponising the Trawl: China's Maritime Militia, Distant-Water Fishing, and the Strategic Contest in the Indian Ocean."

Chinese fishing fleets maintain a massive presence in the Indian Ocean region.  What appears on the surface as fishing is, in practice, a grey-zone strategy, blending economic exploitation, intelligence gathering, and coercive presence to reshape the maritime realities without triggering open conflict.

In addition, see Sweekriti Pathak's "Fishing and Force: China's Dark Fleets and Maritime Militias" dated 29 January 2026 published by India's Observer Research Foundation.  

PLA Navy's 48th Escort Group to Gulf of Aden

 China-Africa Security Radar posted on 2 December 2025 a commentary titled "PLA Navy's 48th Escort Group: Routine Rotation or Strategic Inflection Point?" by Paa Kwesi Wolseley Prah.

The author argues that the deployment of the PLA Navy's 48th Escort Group to the Gulf of Aden occurs against declining American influence across Africa and represents an incremental step in China's transformation into a comprehensive security actor across Africa.

Kenya Balances Security Ties with US and China

 China-Africa Security Radar published on 16 November 2025 an article titled "Mombasa's Strategic Dilemma: Balancing Beijing's Warships and Washington's Partnership" by Paa Kwesi Wolseley Prah.  

The recent visit to the port of Mombasa by a PLA navy destroyer underscores Kenya's balancing of its close security relationship with the United States.  For Kenya, it also signals strategic autonomy and unwillingness to become any single power's client state.  

PLA Navy Assembles Six Ships in Gulf of Aden

 Newsweek published on 5 November 2025 an article titled "China's Navy Stages Show of Force Near Red Sea" by Ryan Chan.

The PLA Navy (PLAN) has been sending anti-piracy task forces to the Gulf of Aden since 2008.  The PLAN recently staged an unusual handover by bringing together at the same time the 3 ships of the 47th Escort Task Group and the 3 ships of the replacement 48th Escort Task Group.  Each Escort Task Group consisted of a destroyer, a frigate, and a supply ship.   

China's Anti-piracy Task Forces off Somalia Continue Even When Piracy Is Largely Over

 The South China Morning Post published on 26 October 2025 an article titled "Somali Piracy Has Waned, So Why Is China's Navy Still in the Gulf of Aden?" by Jevans Nyabiage.  

The Somali piracy problem largely ended in 2013, but the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) continues to send naval task forces on a regular basis to its naval base in Djibouti for patrolling in the Gulf of Aden.  

The reasons for continuing the task forces are clear.  The naval force for combatting a problem that mostly no longer exists provide a reason to show China's flag in the region, provide training for naval personnel in the far seas, and test ships and equipment under harsh climate conditions.  It helps the PLAN build its blue water navy.   

Chinese Navy Guided-missile Destroyer Visits Kenya

 Defence Web posted on 22 October 2025 an article titled "Chinese Navy Destroyer Baotou Visits Kenya" by Guy Martin.

A PLA Navy guided-missile destroyer made a port call at Mombasa following completion of its assignment with the 47th Chinese naval task force in the Gulf of Aden.  This was the first time in six years that a Chinese naval vessel has docked at a Kenyan port.  

PLA Navy Uses Laser on German Plane in Red Sea

 The China Global South Project posted on 18 July 2025 an article titled "Disorder as Strategy at the Gate of Tears" by Felix Brender.

This account provides additional information concerning the military-grade laser attack on a German surveillance plane patrolling the Red Sea by personnel on a PLA Navy frigate.  The incident forced the pilot of the German plane to return to Djibouti.  

Germany Protests Chinese Laser Attack over Red Sea

 The BBC published on 9 July 2025 an article titled "China Rejects German Claim It Targeted Military Plane with Laser" by Sean Seddon.

Germany officially protested to China that one of its warships in the Red Sea fired a laser beam at a German reconnaissance plane as it was contributing to European Union efforts to protect international shipping from Houthi missiles.  China responded that the German account was "totally inconsistent with the facts known to the Chinese side." 

Chinese and Indian Competition for Influence in the Indian Ocean

 Bloomberg posted on 23 June 2025 a 12-minute video titled "How China Is Beating India in Its Own Backyard."

This is a balanced documentary about Indian and Chinese efforts to expand their security and economic influence in the Indian Ocean region.  It pays particular attention to the role of the Indian Ocean island nation of Mauritius and the UK/US military base in Diego Garcia.

China's Power Play in the Indian Ocean

 Bloomberg posted on 14 June 2025 a 12-minute video titled "China's Power Play in the Indian Ocean."

The focus of the video is on growing India-China competition in the Indian Ocean.  The dramatic expansion of Chinese military power in the region is seen as threatening to India.  It comes at a time when the United States is reducing its influence in the region.  

US, China, Africa, and Critical Minerals

 The Atlantic Council published on 6 June 2025 a study titled "Keeping China at Bay and Critical Minerals Stocked: The Case for US-Africa Defense Collaboration" by Alexsandra Gadzala Tirziu.  

Africa holds one-third of the world's known mineral resources, including 80 percent of platinum and chromium, 47 percent of cobalt, and 21 percent of graphite.  Of the 50 minerals designated as critical by the US Geological Service, 32 are found in Africa.  China accounts for 85 percent of global mineral processing capacity.

The US should help African nations develop their own domestic mineral processing capabilities to build their own self-sufficiency and to diminish China's lock on processing capacity.  This could contribute to a reliable supply source of critical minerals for the Unites States.  It could also strengthen US security alliances with African countries.