Foreign Media: The Rise of Africa: China's Most Influential

In less than 20 years, China has become the most important and influential partner in Africa, not only as its investor but also as its development financier and strategic partner. According to assessments by the World Bank and international organizations, the total financial activities of China in the African continent are between $200 billion and $220 billion, including direct investment, financing, loans, and infrastructure projects. This figure exceeds the total investment Europe has made in Africa over more than a century, reflecting the accelerated expansion of China's influence in the region and the diversity of its economic and development tools. The influence of China on the African continent can be summarized as follows:

1- Growth of 2,400% in 20 years

The total trade volume between China and Africa increased from $11.7 billion in 2000 to $295 billion in 2024, with a growth rate exceeding 2,400%. In the first five months of 2025, Sino-African trade reached $134 billion, meaning that the annual trade volume between the two sides is likely to exceed $300 billion by the end of this year, achieving a growth rate of about 25 times in 20 years.

This growth is not limited to commodity trade, but also reflects structural integration, as China's exports include manufacturing and infrastructure construction, while imports include raw materials and strategic minerals. Therefore, it can be said that China is integrating the African continent into its global network.

2- Trade advantage over the United States

By comparison, the bilateral trade volume between the United States and Africa in 2024 was only $71.6 billion, which means that China's trade advantage is four times that of the United States, clearly indicating that the balance of economic influence within the African continent is changing.

China's direct investment in Africa: A growth of 58,000% in 20 years

China's direct investment in Africa grew from approximately $75 million in 2003 to over $44 billion in 2022 - an increase of more than 58,000% in less than 20 years, or 586 times.

These investments are concentrated in key areas such as industry, energy, agriculture, and infrastructure, especially in East African and West African countries, reflecting the conscious rapid expansion of China's influence in strategic regions of the African continent.

3- Development Financing

From 2000 to 2022, China provided over $16 billion in financing for 1,188 projects in Africa through preferential loans, covering energy, transportation, water resources, and communications. At the Beijing Summit in 2024-2027, China pledged an additional $5.1 billion in financing for the implementation of 30 projects and the creation of 1 million jobs.

China adopted the "loan for project" model, in which Chinese companies and equipment implement the projects, thereby enhancing its economic and political influence across the African continent.

4- Infrastructure

Over the past 20 years, China has implemented large-scale infrastructure projects here, thus changing the face of the African continent - its scale and speed have exceeded the achievements of Europe here since Africa's independence. Among these projects, the most notable are the Addis Ababa-Djibouti Railway (3 billion dollars), the Mombasa-Nairobi Railway in Kenya (3.2 billion dollars), the Bagamoyo Port in Tanzania (10 billion dollars), the Zanzibar Airport (70 million dollars), as well as dams and power plants in Angola and Ethiopia.

5- Private Enterprises

More than 10,000 Chinese enterprises are active in the African region, and their performance is significantly better than that of European and American enterprises, indicating a wide range of economic penetration. In addition to innovation fields, these enterprises are also involved in agriculture, healthcare, education, mining, and services. For example, Huawei provides technical training for 6,000 Kenyan students every year and has established over 90 digital schools in several countries.

6- Technology and Education

China's digital influence in Africa has been continuously expanding through over 266 projects, covering communication networks, data centers, smart cities, and surveillance systems, among others. These projects include the national data center built in Senegal at a cost of 79 million dollars, as well as similar projects in Uganda and Ethiopia.

7- Mining Industry

Several Chinese companies are developing the production chains of important minerals in Africa, especially nickel, copper, and cobalt used for energy and technology production. A private Chinese company acquired the Lubumbashi Copper Mine in Zambia for 300 million dollars, while a state-owned Chinese enterprise financed the acquisition of the Dikulushi Copper Mine in the Democratic Republic of the Congo for 880 million dollars.

This presence is not based solely on financing, but rather on a comprehensive Chinese model that relies on projects implemented according to Chinese terms, semi-state-owned enterprises, and intensive infrastructure.

Source: aljazeera

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1839671749030924/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author himself.