China Knowledge Network

How China won over Africa

China has become Africa’s largest trading partner, a major investor in infrastructure and a key political partner for governments across the continent. From railways and ports to mining, manufacturing and digital infrastructure, China’s presence in Africa has expanded dramatically over the past two decades. Yet despite the scale of this engagement, many questions remain. Why has China been so successful in Africa? What has Beijing understood that others have not? And what lessons does Africa offer for policymakers, businesses and development practitioners seeking to engage with the continent?

China and Trade in Critical Raw Materials (CRMs)

In a time of increased rivalry between great powers, control of critical raw materials (CRMs) has shown to be at the core of power politics. China’s dominant position across mining, processing and trade has turned resource security into a defining question of sovereignty for Europe and its allies. China has started to use export controls and other tools to leverage this dominance, risking the survival of key European industries (automotive, energy, health, aerospace, and defence). In this presentation, the authors of the paper claim that too little attention is paid to the underlying mechanism of the CRM markets, allowing China to dominate, and explain the functioning of the market as well as outline potential solutions.

Vincent Brussee and Carwyn Morris on Public Values of Chinese Digital Technologies

Vincent Brussee is a PhD Candidate at Leiden University, specialising in the application of natural language processing for Chinese policy analysis. Previously, he was an analyst at MERICS, Europe’s largest think tank on contemporary China. 

Carwyn Morris is Senior Lecturer in Digital Society and Geography in the Department of Media Studies, SOAS University of London. His research focuses on wanghong (网红; internet fame), the cultural industries, activism, and the impact of Chinese social media around the world.