How China is filling void left by France, US with stronger military ties in Africa’s Sahel

The appointment of China’s new defence attaché to Niger signals a larger move by Beijing to fortify security in Africa, experts say

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Colonel-Major Chen Xuming, China’s first ever defence attaché to Niger, is welcomed at a reception in Niamey on February 8. Photo: Handout

Published: 9:00am, 25 Feb 2025

China’s first ever defence attaché to Niger, Colonel-Major Chen Xuming, was welcomed earlier this month at a reception held at the Chinese embassy in the capital Niamey.

In front of Chinese ambassador Jiang Feng, and top Nigerien military chiefs including Sani Kache, secretary general of the defence ministry, Chen said he was ready to work with the West African country to implement the Global Security Initiative – China’s framework for international cooperation on security issues – “to expand and deepen cooperation between the two militaries”.

In his speech, Jiang promised China would “support Niger in strengthening its security capabilities and in the fight against terrorism and cross-border crime in order to preserve the peace and security of Niger and the region”.

Beijing’s backing of Niger’s military junta is not an isolated policy. In the Sahel – a semi-arid region south of the Sahara desert – China is also supporting the military juntas of neighbouring Burkina Faso and Mali to help them strengthen their armed forces.

It is part of a geopolitical shift that has seen China fill the void left by the exit of French and US forces – and part of a planned strategy by Beijing to help protect its African interests, according to experts.

One reason behind Chen’s appointment is to redress the balance of military attachés, as China has fewer in Africa than Africa does in China, according to David Shinn, a China-Africa specialist and professor at George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs.