Building on the planks of China-DRC relations

November 24 marked a milestone in China's relations with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), as the two countries celebrated the 50th anniversary of the normalization of bilateral diplomatic relations. The DRC is also a member of the Forum on China–Africa Cooperation, the Pan-Africa group comprising 53 African countries.

But like many African countries, relations between China and the DRC go way back more than a century ago. Some historical accounts show that relations between the two countries dates back to 1887, when representatives of the Congo Free State established contacts with the court of the Qing dynasty that was then ruling China. The first treaty between the two powers was signed in 1898.

Relations between China and the DRC grew closer in 2013 after China’s President Xi Jinping paid a state visit to the country.

The two countries have had fruitful cooperation in economics, trade, education and culture. In his aptly titled speech, "Jointly Compose New Chapters in the Friendship between the Chinese and African People" during the visit, President Xi indicated that the bilateral relationship with the DRC was actually a window to successful partnership with the rest of the continent.

The DRC is a special African country. While it has the greatest promise in the African continent, its massive potential has been stifled by occasional political crisis.

In recent months, the government of President Félix Tshisekedi has been battling a resurgence of insurrection by the M23 rebel group. The crisis is currently being handled by leaders of the East African Community backed by the East African Community Regional Force.

While the regional peace process is ongoing, China has been working closely with the DRC government to ensure that the country retains its promise as one of the richest but unexploited countries in the world. The DRC is widely considered to be the richest country in terms of natural resources, with its untapped raw minerals estimated to be worth more than U.S. Dollars 24 trillion.

The DRC has substantial untapped gold, cobalt and high-grade copper reserves. In 2019, production of cobalt in the DRC totaled 100,000 metric tons, accounting for 70 percent of global production. The DRC was the third largest producer of industrial diamonds in 2019, contributing about 21 percent of global production. The country boasts some of the highest quality copper reserves globally, with some of the mines estimated to contain grades above three percent, significantly higher than the global average of 0.6 - 0.8 percent.

The deepening political mutual trust between the two countries has anchored their relations, with the DRC confident that it has a friend who has its best interests at heart. In fact, China has supported the DRC even amid the challenges. In the customary New Year visit to Africa by a Chinese high ranking official in January 2021, Foreign Minister Wang Yi proposed revival of the joint economic and trade committee of the two countries in order to promote the cooperation. Further, China cancelled DRC’s interest-free loans that matured in 2020, showing goodwill and empathy.

Significantly, China committed itself to funding infrastructure projects in the Central African nation as DRC joined the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The BRI will definitely prove to be a game changer for the DRC in the years to come, both in economic and security terms. This international project that has touched almost all corners of the world will unlock DRC’s potential by easing the access of DRC’s priceless reources in remote areas.

The BRI will enhance the two countries win-win cooperation as several Chinese companies own substantial stakes of copper and cobalt reserves in DRC. The latter does not need to do the hard work of mining and selling these minerals so that it can pay China for the construction of infrastructural projects. The two countries can agree on minerals for machinery barter trade.

By opening up the DRC, China is also boosting regional economies, particularly for East African countries like Kenya who already invested heavily in the DRC in trade and banking. The BRI will facilitate and boost both regional trade and international trade as well.

China has also done well not to interfere in the current crisis in the DRC and letting the country and its neighbours seek a lasting and sustainable solution. This is unlike the United States’ approach where the superpower has taken sides and already giving ultimatums to some of the players in the conflict. The U.S. approach will only lead to the entrenchment of positions by those who defy intimidation and interference by countries that have showed bias and selfishness in previous conflict resolution initiatives.

But not that China has had a hands off approach in helping to stabilize DRC. Actually, it has also suffered from the insecurity, with some of its expatriate workers attacked in the country. While China has provided security assistance to Chinese companies in the country, it has offered training to the Congolese military personnel.  

The writer is the Executive Director of South-South Dialogues and a PhD student in International Relations at USIU-Africa.