African Economic Research Consortium

Africa's trade with China reached $275 billion in 2024, with China importing critical minerals like chromium, manganese, and lithium essential for electric vehicles and clean energy. However, declining Chinese infrastructure loans and rising debt servicing costs, with some African nations spending over 40% of public revenue on repayments, create fiscal strain. China's recent removal of tariffs on most African nations contrasts with U.S. tariff increases.