China in Al-Qaeda's Crosshairs

 War on the Rocks published on 18 February 2026 an analysis titled "China Now Finds Itself in Al-Qaeda's Crosshairs" by Colin Clarke and Lucas Webber, both with the Soufan Center.

Al-Qaeda-affiliated organizations in the Arabian Gulf and Africa are now including China as part of its enemy hierarchy due in large part to Beijing's treatment of the Muslim Uyghur population in Xinjiang Province.  

China's Relations with North Africa and Middle East

 The Congressional Research Service published on 23 March 2023 an analysis titled "Middle East and North Africa-China Relations."

The study acknowledges the growing influence of China in the Middle East and North Africa and then looks at ways the United States can improve its standing in the region and counter Chinese influence.  

Most African Countries Support China on Human Rights in Xinjiang

 The Associated Press published on 6 October 2022 an article titled "UN Rights Body Rejects Western Bid to Debate Xinjiang Abuses" by Jamey Keaten.  

The 47-member UN Human Rights Council in a victory for China voted against holding a debate on alleged human rights abuses against Muslim Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in Xinjiang region.  The proposal supported by the United States, Turkey, United Kingdom, and mostly western countries received 17 positive votes, 19 against, and 11 abstentions.  

Among African members, only Somalia supported the proposal while 8 countries (Cameroon, Cote d'Ivoire, Eritrea, Gabon, Mauritania, Namibia, Senegal, and Sudan) voted against and 4 countries (Benin, Gambia, Libya, and Malawi) abstained.  

For a breakdown of the vote, see the Voice of America's 7 October 2022 "Human Rights Groups, China Voice Strong, Opposing Reactions to UN Vote" by Asim Kashgarian.  

Al-Shabaab Held Territory in Somalia Primed for COVID-19

World Politics Review published on 1 May 2020 an analysis titled "Al-Shabab's Territory in Somalia Is a COVID-19 Powder Keg" by Abdullahi Abdille Shahow, an independent researcher based in Nairobi, Kenya.

In a fascinating piece, the author reports that al-Shabaab has made little effort to implement containment or social distancing measures in the extensive rural areas that it controls in Somalia. In fact, it has resisted shutting down a network of Islamic schools and mosques that it operates. Al-Shabaab's media campaign portrays the pandemic as a divine punishment from Allah, meted out to the nonbelievers across the world for their "evil deeds" against Muslims and jihadists. One al-Shabaab-aligned cleric who is well known in Somalia preaches that COVID-19 affects only the enemies of Islam, specifically referring to China, which he argued was being punished for its persecution of Uyghur Muslims.

China-Egypt Ties Strong in Spite of Anti-China Sentiment

Al-Monitor published on 23 April 2020 an article titled "Cairo-Beijing Ties Strong Amid Surge of Anti-China Sentiment in Egypt" by Shahira Amin, Cairo-based journalist.

The author reports a surge in anti-China sentiment in Egypt since the outbreak of the coronavirus. But Chinese investment in Egypt has reached nearly $7 billion and China is Egypt's largest trading partner. President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi, who has visited China six times since 2014, perceives China as a political and security superpower. Egypt is concerned about China's financial support for Ethiopia's Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the Blue Nile, which Egypt believes threatens its supply of water from the Nile.

Ambassadors from 16 African States Support China's Treatment of Uyghurs

The New York Times published on 12 July 2019 an article titled "China's Retort Over Its Mass Detentions: Praise from Russia and Saudi Arabia" by Nick Cumming-Bruce.

Ambassadors of 37 states from Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America signed a letter to the president of the United Nations Human Rights Council praising China's "contribution to the internal human rights cause." Referring to China's "reeducation centers" in Xianjiang Province, the letter said security had returned to the region and the fundamental human rights of people of all ethnic groups there had been safeguarded. This followed a letter signed by 22 mainly European countries that urged China to halt arbitrary detention of Xinjiang's ethnic Muslim Uyghurs and other minority groups.

Ambassadors from 16 African countries signed the letter. They included Algeria, Egypt, Sudan, Somalia, South Sudan, Eritrea, Nigeria, Togo, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Gabon, Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Angola, and Zimbabwe.

This is surely a new low in hypocrisy for the signatories, especially those from Muslim countries and those with a large Muslim minority.

Are Members of Chinese Minority Group Joining African Terrorists?

Le Monde published on 2 May 2016 an article titled "Les Ouigours menacent-ils la Chine en Afrique?" by Sebastien Le Belzic, who directs the Chinafrica site.

The article reports that members of the Uyghur minority group in western China have been seen with terrorist groups in Mali and Libya and may be involved with Boko Haram in Nigeria. There have been other reports of small numbers of Uyghurs joining the Islamic State in Syria and Libya, but this is the first report I am aware of that says they may be engaged in Mali and Nigeria. Le Monde suggests they may pose a direct threat to Chinese interests in Africa.

China's Alternative Diplomacy: Implications for Africa

The Diplomat published on 30 January 2015 an excellent commentary titled "China's Alternative Diplomacy" by Zheng Wang, director of the Center for Peace and Conflict Studies at Seton Hall University in New Jersey.

While the focus of the commentary is on China's periphery in Asia, it has implications for Africa.  The basic argument is that China under Xi Jinping is creating new international platforms that China can control or substantially influence while it retains its engagement with traditional institutions such as the World Bank and IMF.  While these new platforms are mostly economic, the goal is to ensure China's long-term security and strategic objectives throughout the world.  Africa remains on the margins of these security concerns but does come into play as a major source of oil and minerals and a region where Chinese interests are already subject to harm.  Terrorist groups in Africa are potentially even a source of support for the minority Muslim Uyghur population in western China.  The new BRICS development bank is an example of China's alternative diplomacy relevant to Africa. 

US and China Have Similar Concerns about Terrorism in Africa

The Centre for Chinese Studies (CCS) at Stellenbosch University published on 26 May 2014 a brief commentary titled "Cementing China-Africa-USA Ties . . . through Islamic Extremism" by Ross Anthony, a research fellow at CCS.

Ross noted that Islamic terrorism is perceived as a considerable threat in Western and Chinese homelands as well as to these nations' investments and nationals in Africa.  This is now beginning to play out as Western and Chinese military and intelligence cooperate in Africa.

On 12 June 2014, Ross Anthony participated in a 27 minute radio program where he discussed the issue of possible U.S.-China cooperation in combating terrorism in Africa.  Click here to listen to the program.