Bases, Training and Weapon Sales: Latest Trends in China-Africa Military Ties
Jul 11, 2023
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This podcast discusses China's military engagement in Africa, including recent visits by Chinese warships and the involvement of Russian mercenaries. The podcast explores the dual nature of Chinese port building, China's military ties and basing strategy in Africa, and the opportunities and challenges in China-Africa educational relations. It also compares the training and education provided by the US/Europe and China for African defense officials.
China-Africa military ties are not limited to trade, but also encompass security and military cooperation.
China's professional military education programs in Africa aim to influence African security concepts and expand China's influence in the military sphere.
Deep dives
China-Africa military relationship goes beyond trade and economics
The podcast episode highlights that the China-Africa relationship is not solely focused on extractive industries and trade, but also on security and military cooperation. While trade between China and Africa has been stagnant, the political-military relationship has been growing. The episode discusses recent developments in the security realm, such as the involvement of the Wagner group in the Central African Republic and the visit of Chinese warships to ports in Ghana and Nigeria. These interactions highlight the importance of the military dimension in the China-Africa relationship.
China's military engagement in Africa includes training and education programs
The podcast episode delves into China's professional military education (PME) programs in Africa. According to the report discussed in the episode, PME is the most significant aspect of military-to-military engagement between China and African countries. China offers a considerable number of fully-funded training opportunities for African military officers. These programs aim to influence African security concepts, foster ideological alignment, and expand China's influence in the military sphere. The volume and scale of China's training programs in Africa are unmatched by other foreign partners.
Chinese military engagement in Africa aligns with the three warfare doctrine
The episode explains China's approach to military engagement in Africa through the lens of the three warfare doctrine. The doctrine includes public opinion warfare, psychological warfare, and legal warfare. Professional military education (PME) aligns with these aspects, as it promotes Chinese narratives, influence operations, and attempts to shape the international legal environment. African military officers participating in Chinese PME programs are exposed to a combination of military, political, and ideological lessons. The episode highlights the distinctiveness of China's security concepts, influenced by their own unique military hierarchy and party control.
China's military engagement in Africa extends beyond education to weapons sales
The podcast episode discusses the role of China in weapons sales to African countries. While the quality of Chinese military equipment may not match that of the West, African military leaders appreciate the accessibility and lack of restrictions on Chinese armaments. Chinese military education programs, including professional military education (PME), provide an opportunity for African military leaders to learn about and evaluate Chinese military technology and hardware. This exposure aids in China's efforts to expand its market and increase its customer base in Africa. The episode highlights the growing trend of African countries purchasing Chinese-designed weapons and the potential for future licensing agreements for local production.
Three Chinese warships made ports of call in Ghana and Nigeria this month, prompting a new wave of speculation about Beijing's military ambitions in Africa. The PLA Navy visit followed reports that Chinese miners in the Central African Republic were rescued by a group of Russian mercenaries which also triggered questions as to whether the controversial Wagner Group is now working more closely with Chinese entities on the continent.
All of this is set against a backdrop of increasingly close military-to-military ties between the PLA and their counterparts in Africa.
Paul Nantulya, a research associate at the Africa Center for Strategic Studies in Washington, D.C., is among the foremost experts on Chinese military engagement on the continent. He joins Eric & Cobus to discuss his latest research on the increasingly close ties between Chinese and African militaries for training and education which are also closely linked to increased Chinese weapons sales.
SHOW NOTES:
U.S. Institute of Peace: Chinese Professional Military Education for Africa: Key Influence and Strategy by Paul Nantulya: https://bit.ly/44hIts7
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