Key facts
- Chinese President Xi Jinping warned that African resources should not be used for geopolitical rivalry.
- Xi stated that Africa's resources "belong to Africa" during a meeting with Botswana's President Duma Boko.
- China is a key player in Africa's mining sector, with significant extraction interests.
- African countries hold about 30% of the world's critical mineral reserves.
- The U.S. is seeking partnerships to ensure African minerals flow west, away from China.
- New rare earth mines in Africa are projected to yield nearly 10% of global supply by 2029.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has cautioned against using Africa's vast mineral resources for geopolitical rivalry, as the United States intensifies its efforts to secure access to critical minerals on the continent. China, through its state-owned and private businesses, holds significant interests in Africa's mining sector.
During a meeting in Beijing on Tuesday with Botswana's President Duma Boko, Xi stated that "Africa's resources belong to Africa" and described the current international division of labor as a "historical injustice" that needs urgent remedy. He called for a balance between "moral principles and economic interests" and offered China's assistance in development planning.
African nations possess approximately 30% of the world's critical mineral reserves, including cobalt, copper, lithium, nickel, and rare earths, making the continent a focal point for competition between the U.S. and China, as well as other global actors. The U.S. State Department has indicated its priority is to forge partnerships with African nations to ensure their minerals flow to Western markets rather than to China. Beijing's dominance in global mineral supply chains, particularly in processing and refining, is viewed by the U.S. as a threat to both American and African interests.
New specialist rare earth mines are anticipated to come online in Tanzania, Angola, Malawi, and South Africa by 2029, potentially supplying nearly 10% of the world's rare earth elements. The U.S. administration is investing in infrastructure projects like the Lobito Corridor to provide alternative transportation routes for minerals from Africa's Copperbelt to the Atlantic Ocean, aiming to break China's stranglehold on the market.