Out of AfricaBeijing Slashes Investment Up to 85 Percent

ADWhat does that say about the state of China’s economy?A general view of a Chinese military vessel docked at the port in Richards Bay, as South Africa embarked on a 10-day joint military exercise with Russia and China, in South Africa, on Feb. 22, 2023.Guillem Sartorio/AFP via Getty Images2/23/2026|Updated: 2/23/2026CommentaryFor more than a decade, China’s footprint across Africa has expanded at a phenomenal pace.James Gorrie is the author of the 2013 book “The China Crisis” and discusses current events and China on his YouTube podcast, The Banana Republican. Author’s Selected Articles