Keypoints:
- China is prioritising ports and logistics corridors over sovereign lending
- Ethiopia, Somalia and Tanzania anchor Beijing’s Indian Ocean strategy
- African leaders are pushing for industrialisation, not just infrastructure
CHINA has placed Africa’s most strategic trade corridors and ports at the centre of its annual diplomatic New Year tour, as Beijing moves to secure shipping routes, mineral supply lines and long-term Belt and Road partnerships across eastern and southern Africa.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is visiting Ethiopia, Somalia, Tanzania and Lesotho on a trip running until January 12, underscoring a clear shift in Beijing’s Africa policy towards logistics, market access and geopolitical positioning.
The tour highlights countries China views as ‘model partners’ under President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative, while reflecting growing competition with Western-backed infrastructure efforts as African governments seek investment rather than debt.
Ethiopia anchors growth ambitions
Ethiopia, Africa’s fastest-growing large economy, sits at the heart of China’s push to expand exports into young, increasingly affluent markets. The IMF forecasts the economy will grow by 7.2 percent this year, reinforcing its appeal as a manufacturing and logistics hub.
For Beijing, Ethiopia represents proof that long-term infrastructure partnerships can underpin industrial expansion when linked to export zones, transport corridors and political alignment.
From mega-loans to strategic investment
China remains the world’s largest bilateral lender, but pandemic-era debt stress across Africa has altered the investment landscape. Governments are increasingly seeking equity participation and industrial partnerships, even as the European Union steps up financing under its Global Gateway initiative.
‘The real litmus test for 2026 isn’t just the arrival of Chinese investment, but the Africanisation of that investment,’ Judith Mwai, policy analyst at Development Reimagined, told Reuters.
‘As Wang Yi visits hubs like Ethiopia and Tanzania, the conversation must move beyond building roads to building factories,’ she said, arguing that projects should help convert African raw materials into finished goods locally rather than simply accelerating exports.
Somalia visit signals strategic intent
Wang’s stop in Somalia marks the first visit by a Chinese foreign minister since the 1980s and carries significant diplomatic weight. The visit follows Israel’s formal recognition of the breakaway Republic of Somaliland in December, a move that has heightened regional tensions.
Beijing has reiterated support for Somalia’s territorial integrity and is keen to reinforce its influence around the Gulf of Aden, a critical gateway to the Red Sea and a vital artery for Chinese trade passing through the Suez Canal to Europe.
Tanzania’s railways versus Atlantic routes
In Tanzania, China is reinforcing its position in Africa’s copper supply chain. Chinese firms are refurbishing the Tazara Railway linking Tanzania to Zambia, a route that has long been central to Beijing’s access to mineral exports.
The project is increasingly viewed as a counterweight to the US- and EU-backed Lobito Corridor, which aims to connect Zambia’s copper belt to Atlantic ports via Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Free trade message in Lesotho
Wang’s visit to Lesotho underscores Beijing’s effort to portray itself as a champion of free trade. Last year, China offered tariff-free access to its $19t economy for the world’s poorest nations, fulfilling a pledge made at the 2024 China–Africa Cooperation summit.
Lesotho, with a GDP just above $2bn, was among the countries hardest hit by US tariffs last year, facing duties of up to 50 percent on exports. For Beijing, the stop offers symbolic leverage as global trade tensions deepen.
