The evolving geopolitical rivalry between the United States and China is increasingly manifesting in Africa, particularly through strategic control of port infrastructure. This research explores the competition over the Lobito Port in Angola and the Dar es Salaam Port in Tanzania, two vital maritime gateways with regional and global economic significance. By analyzing infrastructure investments, trade volume data, and geopolitical strategies, the study highlights how China’s expansive, infrastructure-driven Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) contrasts with the U.S.’s more limited, governance-oriented approach. The paper utilizes a mixed-methods framework to compare trade throughput, foreign direct investment flows, and strategic implications, ultimately revealing that port infrastructure has become a critical theater for projecting economic and political power in Sub-Saharan Africa.
References
[1]
Barlow, M., & Clarke, T. (2019). The Geopolitics of Infrastructure in Africa. Cambridge University Press.
[2]
Brautigam, D. (2021). Will Africa Feed China? Oxford University Press.
[3]
Cheng, E. (2020). China’s Belt and Road Initiative: A Global Economic Perspective. Routledge.
[4]
Dollar, D. (2020). China’s Engagement with Africa: A New Model of Development? Brookings Institution Press.
[5]
Fuchs, A., & Klann, N. (2019). The Impact of Chinese Investments on African Economies. Journal of African Economies, 28, 345-368.
[6]
Ghosh, R. (2018). Strategic Infrastructure in Africa: A Comparative Analysis. African Affairs, 117, 1-24.
[7]
Hoh, S. (2021). U.S.-China Competition in Africa: Implications for Global Trade. International Relations, 45, 234-256.
[8]
Kuo, J. (2019). Investment Patterns of Chinese Firms in Africa. Journal of Economic Geography, 19, 761-782.
[9]
Lee, J. (2020). Infrastructure Development and Economic Growth in Africa. Development Policy Review, 38, 537-558.
[10]
Liu, H. (2021). China’s Belt and Road Initiative and Its Implications for Africa. African Studies Quarterly, 21, 13-36.
[11]
Moyo, D. (2018). Dead Aid: Why Aid Is Not Working and How There Is a Better Way for Africa. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
[12]
Musila, G. (2019). Trade Dynamics between China and Africa: A Critical View. African Journal of Political Science, 14, 105-124.
[13]
Niu, L. (2020). The Role of Chinese Investment in African Infrastructure. Journal of International Business Studies, 51, 456-478.
[14]
Osei, A. (2022). Economic Integration in Africa: The Role of Infrastructure. African Economic History, 50, 78-102.
[15]
Shen, Y. (2020). Soft Power and the Belt and Road Initiative in Africa. Journal of Current Chinese Affairs, 49, 55-78.
[16]
Wang, X. (2021). Geopolitical Implications of China’s Investments in Africa. International Affairs, 97, 123-145.
[17]
World Bank (2022). World Development Report 2022: Building Resilient Infrastructure.
[18]
Xu, D. (2021). Ports and Power: The Strategic Contest in Africa. Maritime Policy & Management, 48, 211-230.
[19]
Zhang, Y. (2019). Understanding China’s Belt and Road Initiative. Asian Economic Policy Review, 14, 84-101.
