China and Africa - A partnership beyond geostrategic considerations?

By 2050, Africa will host one-quarter of the world's population. Its growing economic importance can be traced back to the fact that the largest reserves of cobalt, diamonds, platinum and uranium in the world are found in this continent. Africa has furthermore the world's largest free trade area (AfCFTA) and thus an enormous potential for global economic growth. This has brought along an increasing engagement of China in the continent. The aspects of Chinese African relations range from pure economic transactions and massive infrastructure investment to language policy. The varieties and possible geostrategic considerations accompanying the Sino-African partnership are examined in more detail throughout the following paper. The main question guiding the analysis is, therefore: what is the role of geostrategic considerations in China's foreign policy toward the African continent?