Beijing Shows Different Look in Africa Compared to US

 China-Africa Security Radar posted on 2 April 2026 a commentary titled "Beijing Capitalizes on Washington's Aggression" by Paa Kwesi Wolseley Prah.  

China's Vice President Han Zheng visited Kenya, South Africa, and Seychelles in March.  The author argues the visit was timed in the context of Washington's capture of the Venezuelan president and the US/Israeli war against Iran.  

Both developments demonstrated US willingness to deploy military power unilaterally and with little deference to international law.  This juxtaposition of events permitted Han Zheng to underscore to an African audience China's message of South-South solidarity, sovereign equality, and development partnership.   

Analysis of China's Foreign Minister Visit to Africa

 The Development Watch Centre, an independent think tank in Uganda, published on 20 January 2026 an article titled "Making Sense of China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi's 2026 Tour of Africa" by Musanjufu Benjamin Kavubu.  

The visit of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to Africa reinforces Beijing's goal to be seen as an attractive and more reliable geopolitical and geoeconomic partner than is the case for the United States.  

China Steps Up Soft Power in Africa

 The South China Morning Post published on 18 January 2026 an article titled "How China Is Stepping Up Africa China Offensive to Boost Cultural Ties, Deepen Influence" by Jevans Nyabiage.  

China began 2026 by emphasizing its people-to-people and soft power interaction in Africa.  This was one of the features of Foreign Minister Wang Yi's visit to Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Lesotho.

Former Indian Ambassador to Ethiopia Assesses China's Approach to Africa

 The Indian website Firstpost published on 16 January 2026 a commentary titled "China Recalibrates Its Africa Outreach: Insights from Wang Yi's Tour" by Gurgit Singh, former Indian ambassador to Germany, Indonesia, Ethiopia, ASEAN, and the Africa Union.

China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi has just completed a visit to Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Lesotho and skipped Somalia at the last minute.  Wang Yi's visit demonstrated that China is adjusting its methods in Africa to reflect debt fatigue, security volatility, and intensifying great power competition.   

What Africa Wants from China in 2026

 The Africa Center for Strategic Studies published on 16 January 2026 an analysis titled "What to Expect from Africa-China Relations in 2026."

The focus of the analysis is what Africa hopes to get from China in 2026.  In summary, Africa seeks to rebalance its ties with China concerning debt sustainability, value addition, and industrialization and to move toward a more equal and transparent partnership that prioritizes long-term African development.  Africa wants a strategic partnership aligned with Agenda 2063.

China's Long Game in Africa

 Kenya's The Star published on 13 January 2026 an article titled "(Understanding China) Wang Yi's Africa Visit and China's Long Game in a Fractured World" by Stephen Ndegwa.  

The author argues that Africa is not just China's partner for growth but a "co-architect of a new global narrative."  Increasingly, the relationship is rooted in "strategic coherence, institutional cooperation and global multilateral engagement."

Comment:  This highly favorable analysis of the China-Africa relationship conveniently ignores Africa's large and continuing trade deficit with China and the mercantilist policy whereby China sells mostly value-added goods to Africa while importing almost entirely raw materials from Africa.

China's Foreign Minister Postpones Visit to Somalia at Last Minute

 Agence France Presse published on 9 January 2026 an article titled "China FM Skips Historic Somalia Visit, Lands in Tanzania."

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi was in Ethiopia and scheduled to visit Somalia, the first visit to Somalia by a Chinese foreign minister since the 1980s, before continuing to Tanzania.  Instead, Wang Yi went directly to Dar es Salaam, not stopping in Mogadishu.  An official in the Somali presidential palace said the Chinese delegation did not come "due to technical issues."

Comment: Relations between Somalia and China are excellent and this visit was highly anticipated.  The most likely reason for postponing was security concerns in Mogadishu.  

Chinese Foreign Minister on Annual Visit to Africa

 The South China Morning Post published on 9 January 2026 an article titled "China FM Wang Yi Opens Africa Tour with United Call for Rules-based Order" by Jevans Nyabiage.  

China and the African Union called for an international law-based order with respect for sovereignty in a lightly veiled criticism of the US strike against Venezuela.  China's Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, is on a visit to Ethiopia, Somalia, Tanzania, and Lesotho.  During his tour, he will likely juxtapose China's support for Africa against recent US actions that set back relations with the continent.

Morocco Establishes Strategic Dialogue Mechanism with China

 Morocco's Ministry of Foreign Affairs posted on 19 September 2025 a notice that Morocco and China had signed a memorandum of understanding establishing a strategic dialogue mechanism to strengthen bilateral relations and further consolidate the ties linking Rabat and Beijing.  

China. Africa, and the Environment

 Global Voices posted on 7 September 2025 a commentary titled "How Is Africa Benefiting from China's Global Renewable Push?" by Jean Sovon and Vivian Wu.

China positions itself as a champion for renewable energy in Africa while financing large projects that exploit coal and oil.  The authors ask how African countries can reconcile a partnership aimed at implementing the principles of environmental justice.  

Chinese Diplomacy in Africa

 The LSE Blog posted on 6 August 2025 a commentary titled "China is Reshaping Global Power Dynamics through Diplomatic Ritual" by Paa Kwesi Wolseley Prah, Lingnan University, and Christian Kaunert, Dublin City University.

In January 2025, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi made his first overseas trip of the year to Africa--Chad, Republic of Congo, Namibia, and Nigeria--a practice the Chinese foreign minister has done every year since 1991.  The author argues that Wang Yi's trip represents a systematic erosion of Western influence in Africa.

China to Eliminate Tariffs on African Imports While US Increases Them

 The Voice of Africa published on 12 June 2025 an article titled "China Set to Eliminate All Tariffs on African Imports: A New Chapter in Global Trade."

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi announced on 11 June that China is prepared to grant zero-tariff treatment to 100 percent of taxable products from all 53 African countries with which it has formal relations.  Only Eswatini, which recognizes Taiwan, is excepted.  Wang contrasted China's policy with US plans to increase tariffs on African imports.

Comment:  While this could constitute an important change in the dynamics of China-Africa trade, the fact remains that China maintains a large and long-standing trade surplus with all of Africa.  On the other hand, over the last ten years the United States has had a modest trade deficit with all of Africa.  

Large African Military Delegation Visits China

 The Sudan Times published on 6 May 2025 an article titled "African Military Officers Start 10-day Official Visit to China."

Nearly 100 senior military officers from over 40 African nations began a 10-day visit to China on 5 May.  The delegation will visit Beijing, Changsha, and Shaoshan.  The visit underscores China's soft power strategy of blending military diplomacy with development support.  

US Absence from G-20 Meeting in South Africa Widens Open Door for China

 Politico published on 20 February 2025 an article titled "Rubio's G-20 Soft Power Surrender" by Phelim Kine.

The decision by Secretary of State Marco Rubio to boycott the G-20 meeting in South Africa this week gives Beijing more room to deepen relationships with countries of the Global South.  Coupled with the dismantling of USAID, this sends an especially negative message to Africa.  

Western Setbacks in Africa's Sahel May Provide Opportunity for China

 The Voice of America published on 13 January 2025 an article titled "Sahel Vacuum Provides Opportunity for China, Analysts Say" by Kate Bartlett.

As Western, especially French and American, influence decreases in Africa's Sahel region, China may be in a position to take advantage although, so far, Russia has been more aggressive.  China is in a strong position to increase arms sales and military and police training but remains uninterested in kinetic military engagement.  

Africa-China Relations in 2025

 The Africa Center for Strategic Studies published on 7 January 2025 a commentary titled "What to Expect from Africa-China Relations in 2025" by Paul Nantulya.

China will continue to promote its governance model in Africa, enlist support to reshape global norms, secure the supply of critical minerals, strengthen party-to-party ties, and increase military outreach.  The major items on the agenda of African countries are market access, balanced trade with China, and adding value to exports.

Annual Visits to Africa by China's Foreign Minister

 The China Global South Project published on 9 January 2025 a commentary titled "From 1991 to Today: The Significance of the Chinese Foreign Minister's Annual Africa Tour" by Christian Geraud Neema Byamungu.

Every year since 1991, China's foreign minister has made his first overseas visit to Africa.  On his current visit, Wang Yi is visiting Namibia, Republic of Congo, Chad, and Nigeria.  Each year much ink is spilled by China-Africa analysts trying to explain why the foreign minister visits the particular countries on the itinerary.  The author rightly points out that these trips may simply be about normal, run-of-the-mill diplomacy and have no deeply strategic geopolitical or economically motivated explanation.  

China's Foreign Minister Makes Annual Visit to Africa

 Deutsche Welle published on 8 January 2025 an article titled "Chinese FM's Africa Tour Is More than Symbolic" by Cai Nebe.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is making the 35th first overseas visit of the year to an African country.  On this occasion, he is visiting Namibia, Republic of Congo, Chad, and Nigeria.  This tradition has served China's African policy well over the years, especially when it is compared to the practices of Western governments.   

China Appears Ready to Step Up Engagement in Libya

 The South China Morning Post published on 23 June 2024 an article titled "China Makes Moves to Reopen Economic Ties with Libya, 13 Years after Suspending Trade" by Jevans Nyabiage.  

China evacuated almost 36,000 nationals from Libya in 2011, most of them involved in infrastructure projects financed with Chinese loans. A divided country and political instability ever since have made it a difficult place to do business.  Nevertheless, China appears to be ready to return with a more significant presence.  

China and Ethiopia to Deepen Ties

 China Global Television Network posted on 11 June 2024 an article titled "Wang Yi Says China Will Deepen Friendship, Expand Cooperation with Ethiopia."

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Ethiopian Foreign Minister Taye Atske Selassie at a conference in Russia on 10 June.  Ethiopia's foreign minister said the elevation of China-Ethiopia relations to an "all-weather strategic partnership" is warmly welcomed by his government.