BABL AI posted on 2 October 2025 an article titled "China, Africa Outline Joint AI Governance and Innovation Plan" by Jeremy Werner.
China and African nations announced last month a plan that outlines initiatives to expand artificial intelligence (AI) research, governance, and capacity-building across the continent. China will host annual China-Africa Digital Economy and Cybersecurity Seminars, offering training in AI data security and new technology applications.
The Cyberspace Administration of China published on 3 April 2024 an announcement titled "2024 China-Africa Internet Development and Cooperation Forum: Chair's Statement on China-Africa Cooperation on AI."
The China-Africa Internet Development and Cooperation Forum was held online in Xiamen, China on 2-3 April 2024. The participants held in depth exchanges on China-Africa cooperation on artificial intelligence (AI).
In 2023, China launched the Global AI Governance Initiative, which is designed to implement its concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind and to realize the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative.
Foreign Affairs published on 6 February 2024 an article titled "Why China Can't Export Its Model of Surveillance" by Minxin Pei, Claremont McKenna College.
China has a high-tech surveillance network that blankets the entire country. But the author emphasizes that it also relies on a highly labor-intensive organization. The Communist Party of China has constructed a vast network of millions of informers and spies whose often unpaid work has been critical to the regime's survival. It is these men and women, more than cameras or artificial intelligence, that have allowed Beijing to suppress dissent. Without a network of this size, the system could not function. This means that, despite the party's best efforts, the Chinese security model is impossible to export.
South Africa's MTN Group and China's Huawei signed a Memorandum of Understanding on 28 February 2024 to create a joint innovation technology lab in South Africa. The two companies will collaborate to shape Africa's digital ecosystem in areas such as 5-G and beyond, artificial intelligence, big data analytics, cloud computing, and digital financial services.
APN News published on 18 July 2023 a corporate news story titled "South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa Officially Opens Huawei Innovation Centre, Describing It as a Boost for Local Innovation."
Underscoring South Africa's close relations with China, President Cyril Ramaphosa opened Huawei's Innovation Center in Johannesburg. It showcases Huawei's latest and most innovative digital technologies, including 5G, Cloud, and artificial intelligence.
Nature Climate Change published in January 2023 a study titled "Cooperative Adaptive Management of the Nile River with Climate and Socio-Economic Uncertainties" by ten experts in the United Kingdom.
This technical study presents a planning framework for adaptive management of the Nile infrastructure system, combining climate projections; hydrological, river system and economy-wide simulators; and artificial intelligence multi-objective design and machine learning algorithms. It concludes that if Ethiopia, Sudan, and Egypt compromise cooperatively and adaptively in managing the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, the national-level economic and resilience benefits are substantial, especially under climate projections with the most extreme streamflow changes.
Foreign Policy published on 10 March 2023 an article titled "The Next Superpower Battlefield Could Be Under the Sea in Africa" by Joseph B. Keller, Brookings Institution.
The accelerated construction of submarine cables in African waters gives significant leverage to China while creating a security vulnerability due to the risk of Russian espionage. Chinese construction has become an important pillar of Beijing's foreign policy agenda. Russia's military and naval capabilities have the capacity to tap into the cables for espionage purposes. Western countries need to be alert to the implications of African submarine cable proliferation going forward.
The Peace Research Institute Frankfurt (PRIF) blog posted on 2 March 2023 a commentary titled "China's New Global Security Initiative: A Rising Power Spreads Its Wings" by Pascal Abb, senior researcher at PRIF.
China announced its Global Security Initiative (GSI) at the 2022 Boao Forum for Asia, a Chinese-sponsored multilateral security conference. In February 2023, China issued a concept paper that added some detail concerning the initiative. Four ideas highlight the GSI.
First, the GSI's agenda is global in scope.
Second, the GSI is based on a very wide-ranging understanding of security characterized as comprehensive national security.
Third, the GSI establishes a strong connection between peace and development.
Fourth, the GSI makes a clear divide between US and Western normative approaches to security and China's approach, which opposes hegemonism, unilateralism, protectionism, and a Cold War mentality.
Global Voices, a mostly volunteer community of international activists, posted on 10 January 2023 a commentary titled "How Zimbabwe Is Building a Big Brother Surveillance State."
A surveillance system set up with the help of Chinese companies such as Huawei and Hikvision and a loan from the China Export-Import Bank allows the leaders of Zimbabwe to keep a tight grip on political power.
The Diplomat published on 17 November 2022 a commentary titled "China's Tech Outreach in the Middle East and North Africa" by Dale Aluf, Sino-Israel Global Network & Academic Leadership.
The profit motive is not the only driver of China's digital engagement with North Africa and the Middle East. Geostrategy is also part of the agenda. Through the Digital Silk Road, China seeks to connect its civilian and military assets along the Belt and Road Initiative. As nations in the region become more reliant on Chinese technology systems, Beijing is increasing its leverage and influence.
The East Asia Forum published on 20 September 2022 an article titled "China's Technology Is a Mixed Blessing for MENA States" by Passant Mamdouh Ridwan, Fudan University.
While Chinese telecommunication technology is contributing to the economies of countries in North Africa and the Middle East, it may dominate the digital market and affect the ability of local companies to compete. Chinese influence may also lead to greater internet censorship.
The Center for Strategic and International Studies published on 19 October 2021 a study titled "Mapping China's Digital Silk Road" by Jonathan E. Hillman.
This is an analysis of China's global digital diplomacy. Countries in Africa comprise a key part of the outreach effort.
Ghana Web posted on 30 August 2021 an article titled "China Proposes China-Africa Partnership Plan on Digital Innovation."
China is working to expand its digital engagement with African countries to include 5G, smart cities, cybersecurity, E-commerce, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and digital infrastructure.
Comment: Part of China's goal is to encourage Chinese digital norms among African countries that compete with or replace Western norms.
The Institute of Chinese Studies in Delhi published in 2021 a study titled "China-Zambia Economic Relations: Perspectives from the Agricultural Sector" edited by Veda Vaidyanathan.
It contains the following chapters:
--Bilateral Trade Relations between China and Zambia over 2000-2018 by Caesar Cheelo.
--Chinese Investments in Zambia from 2000-2018: A Sectoral Analysis by Veda Vaidyanathan and Mukundi Aganwal.
--Enhancing Zambia's Human Capacity? The Dynamics of China-Zambia Agriculture Skills and Knowledge Transfer by Musadabwe Chulu, Nkumbu Nalwimba, and George T. Mudimu.
--Artificial Intelligence in Zambian Agriculture: Case Study of a Chinese Firm 'XAG' by Muyobozi Sikalubya.
--Diversity in China-Zambia Agricultural Co-operation: Case Studies of the Agriculture Technology Demonstration Center, Zhongken Farms and Zhongyang Eco-Agriculture Park by Tong Wu and Veda Vaidyanathan.
--Perspectives from the Grassroots by Veda Vaidyanathan.
The London School of Economics posted on 20 May 2021 a commentary titled "Chinese Digital Tech in Africa: Moral Panics and the Messy Reality of Surveillance" by Iginio Gagliardone, University of Witwatersrand.
The author concluded that while China's role in digital infrastructure in Africa has been massive, its involvement has also offered huge opportunities for oversimplification, reducing complex processes to the influence of one actor and opposing stereotyped versions of the open vs the closed Internet. State and corporate surveillance from all sources are threats to the users that were once supposed to be ones shaping cyberspace, but one cannot focus on only one element of this situation to bring some of the power back to the users.
China, Law and Development published on 30 June 2020 a research brief titled "Chinese Surveillance Tools in Africa" by Bulelani Jili, Harvard University.
The author discusses the growing role of Chinese surveillance and artificial intelligence equipment in Africa and the degree to which African demand and Chinese supply are fueling this trend.
