Why Is China Engaging Africa? Chinese Expert Weighs In

China's President Xi Jinping and leaders from African countries gather for a group photo before the opening ceremony of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on September 5, 2024. ADEK BERRY / POOL / AFP

In the run-up to the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation summit, many tried to parse the factors driving China’s engagement with the continent. The consensus among Western commentators was a combination of Chinese need for mineral resources and their need to build political coalitions.

In a recent interview with the state-owned publication Guancha, Tang Xiaoyang, one of China’s most prominent Africa experts, provided a more nuanced and holistic view of the Africa-China relationship.

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by Cobus van Staden

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