Report Launch and Discussion: The Future of Chinese and Russian Interests in Africa

Tuesday, July 14, 10am ET. Via Zoom While China and Russia remain strategically aligned in their broader effort to challenge Western influence, their interests and behavior in Africa are increasingly diverging. The report contends that the contrasting approaches have become more pronounced since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which has constrained Moscow’s resources and pushed it toward increasingly opportunistic and disruptive forms of engagement. At the same time, growing uncertainty in the international system and shifts in US alliance behavior have weakened the external pressures that previously encouraged closer Sino-Russian coordination. As a result, Africa is emerging as a key test case for the limits of China-Russia strategic alignment.