China has been steadily expanding its Arctic presence over the past three decades. The country acquired its first icebreaker, the Xuelong, in the early 1990s, established a research station in the Svalbard archipelago in 2004, and recently showcased a concept design for a nuclear-powered cargo-passenger icebreaker capable of breaking through 2.5 meters of ice at two knots.

In 2018, China released its Arctic Policy white paper, describing itself as a “near-Arctic state” and proposing a “Polar Silk Road.” The move drew sharp criticism from some Western nations, most notably then-U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who flatly stated that only Arctic and non-Arctic states exist, with no third category.

The Arctic’s significance is hard to overstate. The region holds vast natural resources, strategically important shipping routes, and dual-use military and civilian infrastructure. Only eight countries hold Arctic status by virtue of their geography, cooperating through the Arctic Council framework, though non-Arctic nations may still access Arctic resources.

Washington’s unease is, in part, by design. The Trump administration has leveraged the narrative of a Chinese Arctic threat to justify ambitions over Greenland, folding it into a broader strategy of pressuring Beijing by framing China’s presence in key regions as a danger. Experts suggest this so-called Arctic “China threat” serves as both a specific justification for the Greenland issue and a long-term element of U.S.-China strategic competition.

Meanwhile, Russia and China are actively cooperating to develop the Northern Sea Route, which cuts travel distances by 30–40% compared to the Suez Canal. Last year, the container ship Istanbul Bridge sailed from Ningbo to Felixstowe, England in just 20 days via the Arctic — a journey that would take 40–50 days through Suez.

China maintains its Arctic expansion is purely commercial. No Chinese warships have been observed in the region, and experts note that narrow passages and short sailing seasons make the Arctic ill-suited for military use. For China, the route’s greater promise lies in trade and tourism.

Source: Sputnik News, February 17, 2026
https://sputniknews.cn/20260217/1069814875.html

Chinese officials on Thursday handed over a satellite ground station to the Namibian government in the outskirts of the capital Windhoek, marking another advance in China’s expanding overseas space program, according to Chinese state media reports cited by Reuters.

The facility, constructed with Chinese aid and located in the southern suburbs of Namibia’s capital, will significantly enhance the country’s capacity to receive and process satellite remote sensing data, according to state news agency Xinhua’s Friday report. The handover ceremony was attended by Namibia’s prime minister, who delivered remarks on behalf of the president expressing gratitude for China’s support.

As the United States reduces aid to African nations, China has been building alliances and expanding its space influence across the continent by providing satellites, laboratories, and monitoring stations. Beijing maintains it is helping Africa develop space programs to ensure no country is left behind. However, Reuters previously reported that China’s aid projects enable it to access a broader surveillance network in its quest for space dominance, allowing Beijing to utilize data and images collected from satellites, telescopes, and ground stations provided to African countries. Chinese personnel are also stationed long-term at facilities constructed in Africa.

Chinese Ambassador to Namibia Zhao Weiping stated that Namibia will have complete ownership and independent operation of the satellite ground station. He added that Chinese experts will continue providing technical support to the fourteen local technicians they helped train, and that phase two construction of the facility is underway. Photographs released by Xinhua show the facility’s dome prominently painted with the slogan “China’s Aid, Creating a Beautiful Future Together.”

Source: Radio France International, February 14, 2026
https://rfi.my/CRXX

China announced today that it will implement comprehensive zero-tariff measures for 53 African countries with which it has diplomatic relations, effective May 1. The initiative will be accompanied by efforts to advance common development economic partnership agreements and expand market access for African products through upgraded “green channels.”

Of Africa’s 54 United Nations-recognized sovereign nations, only Eswatini, Taiwan’s diplomatic ally, is excluded from the preferential tariff treatment. This marks a significant expansion of China’s economic engagement with the African continent.

The announcement follows the June 11, 2025 ministerial meeting of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Results Implementation Coordination held in Changsha, Hunan Province, which produced the “Changsha Declaration” on maintaining solidarity and cooperation among Global South nations. The declaration’s eighth point specifically outlined China’s commitment to achieving zero tariffs on 100 percent of product categories for the 53 African countries through economic partnership agreements, welcoming quality African goods into the Chinese market.

Building upon zero-tariff treatment for least-developed African countries announced at the 2024 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, China pledged additional measures including deepened market access for goods trade, streamlined inspection and quarantine procedures, customs facilitation, enhanced technical capacity training, and promotion of quality products.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi emphasized that China and Africa, representing the world’s largest developing country and the continent with the highest concentration of developing nations, form the backbone of the Global South. He stressed the importance of China-Africa unity amid global uncertainties, calling for both sides to maintain mutual assistance, advocate for international free trade, pursue win-win cooperation, defend international justice, and promote cultural diversity.

Source: Central News Agency (Taiwan), February 14, 2026
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/202602140140.aspx

The United States is intensifying its competition with China over control of Africa’s critical mineral supplies, including copper, cobalt, lithium, and rare earth elements, according to discussions at the 2026 African Mining Indaba currently taking place in Cape Town. Washington’s focus centers on the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia, and Guinea, with the DRC supplying over 70 percent of the world’s cobalt and remaining one of the largest copper producers.

China currently dominates the extraction and processing of rare earth metals and other critical minerals like lithium and cobalt. Chinese companies control substantial mining operations across developing countries, including throughout Africa.

Against a backdrop of escalating trade and technology confrontation, both nations are attempting to achieve independence from each other in key industrial sectors. China is developing its semiconductor industry capabilities while the United States works to bypass China and diversify the global rare earth supply chain.

Africa has emerged as a crucial battleground in this great power competition, with the two nations employing different strategies. The American approach avoids directly managing mines in politically unstable regions, instead using a “money-for-shares” model that provides financing in exchange for portions of extracted minerals. China’s advantages include controlling the DRC’s largest mineral assets, faster project launches even in unstable regions, and aggressive infrastructure investment in mineral-producing countries. Chinese investment has built thousands of kilometers of roads and railways, dozens of port facilities, and major transportation arteries across Africa, improving market access for African mineral producers, reducing logistics costs, and promoting economic growth.

In essence, the United States attempts to secure portions of African-extracted raw materials through capital injection and transport them to U.S.-aligned regions for processing. However, China maintains its advantage in African extractive industries through economies of scale, infrastructure and production construction speed, and Chinese companies’ willingness to operate in high-risk environments.

Source: Sputnik News, February 10, 2026
https://sputniknews.cn/20260210/1069718226.html