7.8A Developing economic ties

• China and African nations

  • Since 2008 China has been Africa's largest trading partner
  • In 2021 China had US$4.99 billion of foreign direct investment (FDI) in Africa
  • One third of China's construction companies business was in Africa in 2015
  • China's increasing demand for resources has driven this increase with most of the investment often being targeted at resource rich nations such as DR Congo, Zambia and Algeria.
• China and Africa nations:

  • China has made large scale investment in transport and infrastructure to improve efficiency of resource exploitation and exports including:
  • The Nairobi Expressway in Kenya
  • Doraleh Multi-Purpose Port in Djibouti
  • Benguela Railway in Angola
  • Much of this has been part of the China proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which is aimed at improving connectivity
• China and Africa Nations:

  • The increased economic ties have a range of environmental impacts and challenges as well as opportunities