Modern Diplomacy published on 7 February 2026 a commentary titled "Egypt Seeks Chinese Defense Tech, Manufacturing Base in Cairo" by Nadia Helmy, Beni Suef University Egypt.
The author suggests that Egypt is seeking Chinese technology and assistance to manufacture locally advanced radar and missile systems and unmanned aerial vehicles. Egypt sees itself as becoming a regional manufacturing hub for advanced military weapons.
The African Center for Strategic Studies published on 30 January 2026 a paper titled "China's Military Footprint in Africa Deepens with People's Liberation Army-led BRICS Naval Drills" by Paul Nantulya.
The January 2026 BRICS Plus naval exercise in South African waters led by China's People's Liberation Army underscored Beijing's use of military power in Africa to advance Chinese geostrategic objectives. China views BRICS Plus as part of an alternative global security and geopolitical architecture intended to counterbalance Western and US-led initiatives.
Beijing has invested heavily in securing African participation in Chinese-led global initiatives to enhance its legitimacy, build regional voting blocs, and strengthen China's leverage amid global rivalries. It accomplishes this through military exercises, naval port calls, creating security architecture, arms sales, and military training.
China-Africa Security Radar published on 6 October 2025 a commentary titled "China's Lavish Pledge: Will $51 Billion Buy Africa's Military Loyalty to Beijing?" by Paa Kwesi Wolseley Prah.
African states are engineering a multipolar security order that serves their interests by refusing to choose among the major powers. They are exploiting great power competition to expand their strategic autonomy. As a result, China's military training and arms sales translate into access and goodwill, not strategic alignment or exclusive loyalty.
The London School of Economics and Political Science blog posted on 4 July 2025 a commentary titled "Egypt Is Diversifying Its Military Partners Away from the US" by Paa Kwesi Wolseley Prah, Lingnan University, and Christian Kaunert, University of South Wales.
This spring the Egyptian Air Force and China's PLA Air Force conducted joint air exercises in Egypt. The exercise sends a clear message to Washington that Egypt is diversifying its alliances and is not beholden to US patronage. It may also prompt other states in the region to hold similar exercises.
The Africa Center for Strategic Studies published on 10 June 2025 an analysis titled "China Widening Its Influence in Africa through Expanded Security Engagements" by Paul Nantulya.
China is expanding across Africa its security relationships through training, military exercises, arms sales, party-to-party cooperation, and weapons production. About 70 percent of African countries now operate Chinese armored vehicles. Some 40 African countries have a relationship with Chinese public security agencies.
Business Insider Africa published on 7 May 2025 an article titled "Chinese Fighter Jets Soar over Egypt in First Ever Joint Military Drills" by Adekunle Agbetiloye.
Egypt and China have just completed a joint air force exercise over the Sahara Desert involving fighter jets, helicopters, and transport aircraft. This is a first for China and Egypt and sends a signal to the United States, as it dismantles foreign aid and pulls back from Africa that Egypt is seeking to expand its security relationships.
The Africa Center for Strategic Studies published on 2 December 2024 a paper titled "The Growing Militarization of China's Africa Policy" by Paul Nantulya.
The Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) has increasingly taken on military dimensions. The PLA's growing involvement in FOCAC speaks to the militarization of certain aspects of China's Africa policy.
China's military strategy in Africa is advancing its goal of achieving "the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation by 2049." To that end, the PLA is tasked with becoming a "world-class force" by 2030 with the requisite combat and power projection capabilities to defend China's expanding global interests and win future wars closer to home.
The U.S. State Department posted on 2 March 2023 an interview with General Michael Langley, Commander of U.S. Africa Command. This wide ranging interview covers many aspects of U.S. military engagement in Africa and comments on Russian and Chinese activities.
Fathom Journal published in its winter 2022 edition a commentary titled "Navigating China's Security Presence in the Middle East and North Africa" by Grant Rumley and Carol Silber.
The article lays out the growing security relationship between China and countries in the Middle East and North Africa. It concludes that countries in the region will try to balance their relations with China and the United States.
The National Defense University just released a book titled The PLA Beyond Borders: Chinese Military Operations in Regional and Global Context. It is available on line open access. The book contains a comprehensive chapter titled "China's Security Assistance in Global Competition: The Case of Africa" by Jonah Victor, senior analyst at the U.S. Department of Defense and adjunct associate professor at Georgetown University.
