China has pushed Russia out of the African arms market and is increasing the supply of military equipment to African countries.

This was reported by The Economist.

In recent years, China has managed to oust Russia from the African arms market at the expense of more diverse equipment that it sells on favorable terms.

According to the Economist, the export of Chinese weapons today begins with firearms and ends with warships supplied to Djibouti and Mauritania.

China is also actively arming the countries of the continent with drones that are purchased by Nigeria, the Congo, and others. Such interest stems from lucrative loans that China approves to expand its own exports.

The Economist notes that between 2019 and 2023, at least 21 countries in Africa received weapons from China.

“Perhaps seven in ten African armies now field armoured vehicles that are, like so many other products, made in China,” the publication states.

This approach allows China to gain more influence in Africa and improve relations with most countries of this continent.

Historically, France was the dominant exporter of weapons to African countries. However, due to a significant increase in prices and less favorable conditions, African countries began to look for new suppliers.

“Beijing sells arms at cut prices. When bundled with flexible financing arrangements, military co-operation and training for officers, it is an attractive proposition for armies with budgets big or small,” notes the publication.

Previously, Militarnyi reported that European ammunition manufacturers talked about a serious dependence on Chinese raw materials used in the production of gunpowder.

Leading ammunition manufacturers, including Swedish Saab and German Rheinmetall, have warned that Europe is overly reliant on Chinese cotton, which accounts for more than half of all supplies for the arms industry.