China’s foreign minister began his annual New Year diplomatic tour of Africa on Wednesday, signaling Beijing’s renewed push to deepen political and economic influence across key regions of the continent as global competition for trade routes and resources intensifies.
Foreign Minister Wang Yi is set to visit Ethiopia, Somalia, Tanzania, and Lesotho, according to China’s foreign ministry, with the itinerary underscoring Beijing’s focus on strategic maritime corridors, mineral supply chains, and trade partnerships with developing economies.
Wang’s stop in Somalia is particularly notable. It marks the first visit by a Chinese foreign minister since the 1980s and comes weeks after Israel formally recognized Somaliland, the self-declared breakaway region that Somalia still claims as its sovereign territory.
Beijing publicly reaffirmed its support for Somalia’s territorial integrity following Israel’s move, positioning the visit as a diplomatic show of backing for Mogadishu at a sensitive moment.
China has growing strategic interests in the Gulf of Aden, a gateway to the Red Sea and a critical shipping lane for Chinese exports bound for Europe via the Suez Canal. Analysts say the visit reflects Beijing’s desire to reinforce its presence along one of the world’s most important maritime trade corridors.
Further south, Wang’s visit to Tanzania highlights China’s long-term investment in Africa’s mining and infrastructure sectors. Tanzania plays a central role in Beijing’s efforts to secure access to copper from Zambia, one of the continent’s top producers.
Chinese companies are currently refurbishing the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) line, a historic project that links landlocked Zambia to the Indian Ocean. The railway is widely viewed as a strategic alternative to the U.S.- and EU-backed Lobito Corridor, which connects Zambia to Atlantic ports through Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
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China’s interest in the region was reinforced in November, when Premier Li Qiang made the first visit by a Chinese premier to Zambia in nearly three decades.
Wang’s final stop in Lesotho, a small southern African kingdom, is expected to spotlight China’s bid to present itself as a defender of free trade and economic access for poorer nations.
Last year, Beijing granted tariff-free access to its $19 trillion economy for the world’s least-developed countries, fulfilling a pledge made by President Xi Jinping at the 2024 Forum on China–Africa Cooperation in Beijing.
Lesotho, with a gross domestic product of just over $2 billion, was among the countries hardest hit by U.S. tariffs imposed under President Donald Trump, facing duties of up to 50% on some exports to the United States.
China’s foreign ministers have traditionally made Africa their first overseas destination each year, a practice dating back more than three decades. This year’s tour, however, comes amid sharper global rivalry over supply chains, trade routes, and diplomatic influence.
