A senior US State Department official is warning that China’s expanding trade footprint in Africa is putting pressure on local manufacturers, as the Trump administration looks to increase American commercial involvement across the continent. “China continues to flood Africa with exports,” Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Frank Garcia told Fox New.
Garcia said, “No country is immune to the negative impacts of China’s unfair trade practices and state-subsidized overcapacity. China’s economic engagement with African countries has often led to unsustainable debt, economic coercion and an oversupply of Chinese imports threatening to displace and preventing the development of local industries.”
Chinese exports to Africa reached about $225 billion in 2025, while African exports to China totaled roughly $123 billion, according to the China Global South Project. The imbalance has raised concerns over whether African economies are gaining manufacturing capacity while remaining heavily dependent on exporting raw materials.
Elaine Dezenski, senior director and head of the Center on Economic and Financial Power at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said China is the top trading partner for many African nations.
“That doesn’t mean that African countries are moving up the value chain. On the contrary, some African countries are increasingly tied into a cycle of mineral and other natural resource exports to China, only to be on the receiving end of finished goods, also from China.”
South Africa’s auto industry provides one example. Chinese vehicles now account for between 17% and 40% of vehicle sales in the country. Chinese automaker Chery also acquired Nissan’s former manufacturing plant near Johannesburg and plans to begin producing vehicles there in 2027.
“China is delivering better vehicles and better prices to South African consumers — and this is pushing Western-oriented firms out of the market,” analyst Frans Cronje told Fox News.
The US says it is working to expand its own commercial presence. The Bureau of African Affairs has reported 37 commercial transactions completed since the start of President Donald Trump’s second term, representing $25.67 billion in total value.
Garcia said the administration wants to strengthen supply chains for critical minerals and rare earths while promoting greater competition.
“The United States is committed to reshaping the global critical minerals and rare earths market to make it more diverse, secure and reliable. We will work with African partners to address risks from non-market actors and ensure supply chain security. We are using diplomatic and economic tools to promote fair and transparent markets that work for everyone.”
Garcia said, “No country is immune to the negative impacts of China’s unfair trade practices and state-subsidized overcapacity. China’s economic engagement with African countries has often led to unsustainable debt, economic coercion and an oversupply of Chinese imports threatening to displace and preventing the development of local industries.”
Chinese exports to Africa reached about $225 billion in 2025, while African exports to China totaled roughly $123 billion, according to the China Global South Project. The imbalance has raised concerns over whether African economies are gaining manufacturing capacity while remaining heavily dependent on exporting raw materials.
Elaine Dezenski, senior director and head of the Center on Economic and Financial Power at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said China is the top trading partner for many African nations.
“That doesn’t mean that African countries are moving up the value chain. On the contrary, some African countries are increasingly tied into a cycle of mineral and other natural resource exports to China, only to be on the receiving end of finished goods, also from China.”
South Africa’s auto industry provides one example. Chinese vehicles now account for between 17% and 40% of vehicle sales in the country. Chinese automaker Chery also acquired Nissan’s former manufacturing plant near Johannesburg and plans to begin producing vehicles there in 2027.
“China is delivering better vehicles and better prices to South African consumers — and this is pushing Western-oriented firms out of the market,” analyst Frans Cronje told Fox News.
The US says it is working to expand its own commercial presence. The Bureau of African Affairs has reported 37 commercial transactions completed since the start of President Donald Trump’s second term, representing $25.67 billion in total value.
Garcia said the administration wants to strengthen supply chains for critical minerals and rare earths while promoting greater competition.
“The United States is committed to reshaping the global critical minerals and rare earths market to make it more diverse, secure and reliable. We will work with African partners to address risks from non-market actors and ensure supply chain security. We are using diplomatic and economic tools to promote fair and transparent markets that work for everyone.”
