China is strengthening its military presence in Africa through new agreements and increased cooperation with African militaries. While its security involvement was limited two decades ago, it now trains thousands of African officers every year and has established itself as a major supplier of weaponry, from armoured vehicles to military transport aircraft.
Joint exercises have also intensified. Recently, Chinese forces have participated in major military exercises with Tanzania, Mozambique and Egypt, marking some of the largest troop deployments on African soil. At the same time, China has maintained a naval presence in the Gulf of Aden for years and has organised numerous exchanges and training visits for African officers at Chinese military institutions.
This growing presence raises concerns in certain African sectors, which fear that the Chinese cooperation model favours authoritarian governments and undermines civil rights. Moreover, the lack of strict controls on arms sales has allowed some of this material to end up in internal conflicts or to be used against political opponents, opening the debate on the consequences of Beijing's military expansion in Africa.
Source: africacenter.org, scmp.com, eh4s.eu