Beijing's Naval Expansion in Africa: 100 Seaports in 20 Years

China's Africa strategy seems to be paying off, at least in terms of deliverables and considerations around its basing activities. For more than 30 years, every subsequent Chinese foreign minister ensured that the first official foreign visit undertaken would be Africa. In 2024 too, China's foreign minister, Wang Yi, first visited Egypt, Tunisia, Togo, and Côte d'Ivoire. Notably, these are all coastline African nations.

Extensive Infrastructure Development

Towards the end of 2022, the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Cui Jian Chun, acknowledged that Beijing had built 100 seaports across Africa in the past two decades. The Lekki deep seaport was built at a total cost value (including engineering, procurement, and construction) of $581 million USD. In West Africa and Nigeria's deepest and most advanced port, it was built by China Harbour Engineering Company. During the handing over of the seaport, Chun's disclosure stunned many when he confirmed:

"I want to highlight what we have done between China and Nigeria. The first is infrastructure. I want to let you know that the deep seaport is important. China has built 100 ports in the whole of Africa since the year 2000. That means in 20 years, China helped Africa to build 100 ports. And, I want to let you know that Chinese companies have constructed in Africa 100,000 km of highways and 10,000 km of railways […] About 70% of seaports in Africa are a product of China Harbour Engineering Company, and China Harbour Engineering Company builds 90% of the seaports in China."

This official confirmation brings one to analyze China's maritime basing objectives and strategy in Africa. These took off with China's maiden base on the continent at Djibouti on the Horn of Africa in 2017. An evident goal of this installation was said to be securing trade corridors alongside developing alternatives such as the longer but less-contested Mozambique-South Africa route. The Djibouti base has, over the years, matured from a resupply facility to a logistics facility, supported by up to two brigades of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA).

China's Africa Strategy

Djibouti sits on one of the world's most vital chokepoints for maritime trade. There, nations including the United States, the European Union, Japan, and India remain major stakeholders. Owing to its strategic geographic value, Djibouti hosts the bases of several foreign nations including Japan and Saudi Arabia. For that matter, basing has become a lucrative business for many countries such as Djibouti. According to the International Monetary Fund, it accounted for an estimated 0.1% of its gross domestic product in 2020. This allowed Djibouti to leverage its strategic access to a critical chokepoint between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

In addition, since 2021, stakeholders have been giving ample geostrategic warnings of China's military intent to build a naval base in Equatorial Guinea — a country on the west coast of Central Africa. The prospective naval base would augment China's future sea power ambitions and corresponding capabilities. It would be China's second such facility in Africa. More importantly, it would be China's first on the Atlantic Ocean coastline. 

Reportedly, China's People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) is negotiating with the Government of Equatorial Guinea to seal a deal for the construction of a naval base at the Equato-Guinean mainland port of Bata. It is one of Equatorial Guinea's largest ports.

Future Naval Expansion

In all, it is more than apparent that China seeks to expand its existing port infrastructure across the African coastline. It seeks to build dual-use facilities in all the African ports it has invested in for more than 20 years now. Going by the figure of 100 African ports that have either been built, financed, or are currently operated by Chinese state-owned shippers, Beijing's upcoming maritime dominance on Africa's coastline is a foregone conclusion.

China is securing its naval expansion by gaining increasing access to Africa's geo-strategic hotspots. A permanent Chinese naval base in the Gulf of Guinea (Africa's western coastline) along with eastern Africa would propel Beijing's economic interests regionally. It would also assist in advancing Beijing's larger strategic objectives and trade routes. 

Most crucially, it would advance the naval blueprint for China's maritime operations in the Atlantic Ocean. The overreaching influence of China in Africa could accentuate the separation between the West and the continent. Ultimately, China aims to export its naval hard power to challenge the West-led international order.

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Author: Dr Monika Chansoria

Learn more about Dr Chansoria and follow her column "All Politics is Global" on JAPAN Forward, and on X (formerly Twitter). The views expressed here are those of the author and do not reflect the views of any organization with which she is affiliated.