cover of episode The U.S. and China Vie for Influence in Africa

The U.S. and China Vie for Influence in Africa

2024/12/4
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Emmett Livingstone
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Emmett Livingstone：美国试图通过投资洛比托铁路来对抗中国在非洲的影响力，但这项努力力度不足且为时已晚，未能有效改变中国在非洲矿业领域的支配地位。美国及其西方盟友向洛比托铁路的升级投入数十亿美元，试图以此对抗中国在该地区的大规模投资，但这项努力收效甚微。 在刚果民主共和国科韦齐镇，可以看到中国公司在当地矿业中的巨大影响力，从矿业公司的标识和中文标牌到众多中国经营的赌场，随处可见中国元素。这表明，即使美国增加了投资，中国的影响力依然根深蒂固。 Russell Fryer：洛比托铁路项目对矿产品出口具有重要战略意义，它缩短了产品上市时间，降低了运输成本，并使非洲矿产资源更便捷地进入美国和欧洲市场。洛比托港口位于大西洋沿岸，比通过印度洋运输更靠近美国和欧洲市场，这将节省大约三周的运输时间并降低财务成本。刚果民主共和国是世界上最大的钴生产国，也是第二大铜生产国，其矿产资源的战略重要性不言而喻。 Christian Geronima：洛比托铁路并不能有效对抗中国在非洲矿业领域的影响力，因为这是一条任何国家都可以使用的铁路，而西方国家缺乏自身的矿业运营。西方矿业公司虽然也在非洲运营，但其最终市场仍然是中国。美国在当地没有任何公司，这与中国公司在非洲矿业中的主导地位形成鲜明对比。因此，仅仅修建铁路并不能改变中国在非洲矿业中的主导地位。 Greg Dixon：美国失去Tenkei Fungurume矿业公司是一个严重的错误，因为缺乏资金支持导致其被中国公司收购。美国政府未能及时提供必要的资金支持，导致这家重要的矿业公司落入中国手中，这反映出美国在非洲矿业竞争中战略上的失误。这笔交易的失败凸显了美国在非洲矿业领域竞争中面临的挑战，以及中国公司在资金实力方面的优势。

Deep Dive

Key Insights

Why is the U.S. investing billions in upgrading the Lobito rail line in Africa?

The U.S. aims to counter China's dominant investments in African mining by upgrading the Lobito rail line, which connects mineral-rich areas to the Atlantic coast, closer to Western markets.

What role does the Lobito rail line play in global mineral trade?

The Lobito rail line significantly reduces travel time and costs for transporting minerals like cobalt and copper from Central Africa to markets in the U.S. and Europe, bypassing the Indian Ocean route.

How does China's presence in African mining compare to the U.S.?

China dominates the mining sector in Central Africa with extensive investments and operations, while the U.S. lacks significant on-the-ground mining companies, despite recent efforts to upgrade infrastructure like the Lobito rail line.

Why did the U.S. lose control of the Tenke Fungurume mine in Congo?

U.S. firm Freeport-McMoran sold the Tenke Fungurume mine to a Chinese multinational in 2016 due to heavy debt, as they couldn't secure the necessary $2 billion to stay operational, highlighting China's financial advantage in the region.

What impact do local miners have on the global mineral trade?

Local miners in places like Kowezi, Congo, often work in dangerous, illegal conditions to extract minerals, which are then sold to intermediaries, many of whom are Chinese, underscoring the local economic and geopolitical complexities.

Shownotes Transcript

Joe Biden's first and last trip to Africa as president wrapped up in a port city in Angola. It's the end of an 800 mile train line connecting the port to massive mineral deposits in Central Africa. The U.S. and other Western countries are raising billions to upgrade the rail line, a move that is seen as an effort to counter China's investments in mining in the region. We go to one of the mining cities along that train route to see how the geopolitics are playing out. Support NPR and get sponsor-free episodes of State of the World. Sign up for NPR+ at plus.npr.orgLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices)NPR Privacy Policy)