The 2025 “China-Africa Cooperation Forum” was recently held in China, with Chinese media simultaneously reporting on the wave of port infrastructure construction sweeping through Africa by the CCP, allowing the outside world to catch a glimpse of China’s influence and strategic layout in Africa. Experts analyze that behind this lies China’s exploitation of resources, environmental destruction in Africa, and the trapping of African countries in debt and sovereignty concerns.
On June 11, the 25th anniversary of the China-Africa Cooperation Forum and the 4th China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo were held in Changsha, Hunan.
On the same day, Chinese media reported that China is frantically building ports in Africa like “making dumplings,” and even boasted about showcasing the CCP’s “construction frenzy” expertise.
According to the report, by 2025, 78 out of 231 commercially operated ports in Africa have Chinese companies involved in construction, financing, or operation, spanning 32 countries, accounting for one-third.
The majority of China’s involvement in port projects are concentrated in West Africa, totaling 35 ports. Additionally, there are 17 in East Africa, 15 in Southern Africa, and 11 in North Africa.
In addition to construction, China provides financing and obtains operational rights through investments. Currently, China holds operational rights to 10 ports in Africa.
For example, the China Merchants Group’s subsidiary, China Merchants Port Holdings Company, through its wholly-owned subsidiary, acquired a 50% stake in Lome Container Terminal Company in Togo and gained operational rights over the Port of Lome. Lome Port is the only excellent deepwater port in West Africa.
China Harbour Engineering Company, which built the Lekki Deep Sea Port in Nigeria, also acquired 54% ownership and 16 years of operational rights for the port. Lekki Port is one of the largest ports in West Africa.
American economist David Huang told Epoch Times that Chinese state-owned enterprises in Africa not only build ports but also create supporting railways, roads, and industrial parks, forming a comprehensive logistics system centered around ports.
He said, “This is to meet China’s ‘Belt and Road’ strategy and to serve Beijing’s need to change the world, acquire resources, and engage in foreign trade.”
Africa holds about one-third of the world’s mineral resources (including rare earth) and abundant fossil energy.
Huang pointed out that China’s extensive construction of ports in West Africa is crucial because West Africa and the Gulf of Guinea face the North Atlantic, making it vital for China to extract oil, gas, and minerals from Africa.
Moreover, with East, South, and West Africa surrounded by the Indian Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean, China’s port layout throughout Africa can “strengthen China’s global sea lanes, especially its strategic influence around the Hormuz Strait and the Mandeb Strait,” said Huang.
The Strait of Hormuz is a strategic passage between Iran and the UAE, while the Bab el-Mandeb Strait connects the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. Both straits are crucial for global trade and energy transport.
Su Ziyun, director of the Strategic and Resources Institute of Taiwan’s National Defense Security Research Institute, told Epoch Times that China’s construction of ports in Africa serves economic, diplomatic, and military needs with “one stone hitting three birds.”
“The economic aspect includes exporting finished products, importing raw materials like minerals, including rare metals, nickel, etc., and copper mines in Africa,” Su Ziyun said.
“This is a complex strategic plan that spans economic, diplomatic, and future military needs; with investments, these countries will form borrowing relationships with Beijing, strengthen China’s substantive influence in diplomacy, and eventually transform the ports into Chinese naval bases for docking and replenishment,” he added.
Huang also mentioned that China’s port strategy in Africa is not just about economic and trade investments but also long-term strategic layout and “civil-military integration,” combining resource acquisition, highly-bound trade systems, and control of security channels, which will have far-reaching implications on Africa’s situation and global competitive landscape.
Su Ziyun stated that China’s frenzied construction of ports in Africa aims to “enhance Beijing’s influence” on one hand and to “weaken the diplomatic influence of the United States” on the other.
He pointed out that democratic countries consider fair rights and obligations in investments, while “Beijing takes advantage of these African countries’ eagerness for foreign aid, leading them into debt traps similar to underground banks.”
Huang mentioned that the debt ratio of Djibouti, an East African country, to China is as high as 80% of its GDP.
Djibouti, located at the southern entrance of the Red Sea, is a major international shipping intersection connecting Asia, Africa, and Europe. Since 2017, Djibouti Port has become the only overseas military base owned by China. The port has also become a “model” of the “debt trap” created by the “Belt and Road” project in Africa by China.
Huang stated that due to China’s penetration of ports, it “makes the host countries lose control over critical facilities,” resulting in “sovereignty and security concerns” for African countries.
Furthermore, China’s economic cooperation with African countries has made these nations “rely solely on selling resources,” lacking value-added content, where resource exploitation leads to environmental destruction and social issues concerning labor rights.
Su Ziyun said, “This is another form of exploitation.” He mentioned that many Chinese companies in Africa have recently been attacked by local armed groups. This is because African people feel exploited, leading them to retaliate against Chinese companies and workers.
He said, “China will face many challenges in Africa.”