China Expands Digital Infrastructure in North Africa and Middle East

 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.

Chinese Presence in African Technology Sector

The Berlin-based Mercator Institute for China Studies posted a 23 minute podcast on 9 July 2019 titled "Tom Bayes on Chinese Presence in the African Tech Sector" with Tom Bayes, a China-Africa researcher.

This wide-ranging interview discusses some of China's latest interaction with Africa in the technology sector. Bayes said Chinese private and state-owned enterprises are interested in Africa because it is a large market and a place to make money. This engagement adds a mostly positive dimension to China's engagement in Africa. He discusses Huawei's lead in 5G technology and the huge market share captured by Transsion, a Chinese company that has focused on inexpensive mobile phones for Africans. He also comments on the 5-year practice by Chinese technical staff at the Chinese-built African Union headquarters to transfer secretly each evening all messages back to a facility in Shanghai. The African Union subsequently took steps to end the spying.