Africa: Beyond the Supply Chain - South Africa's China Dilemma

[FPRI] At the Fourth China International Supply Chain Expo in Beijing on June 22, 2026, South Africa's deputy president Paul Mashatile signaled a renewed partnership with China amid a complex geopolitical global environment. Speaking at the event, he emphasized that South Africa wants to be more than a mine for the world's second-largest economy, aiming to build manufacturing units and local factories, process its own minerals, and serve as Beijing's gateway to the wider African market. This vision indicates a