Critical minerals, waning Western influence a focus of Chinese FM’s African tour, analysts say

FILE - China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi delivers a speech at the ministerial conference of the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Beijing, Sept. 3, 2024. FILE - Republic of the Congo President Denis Sassou Nguesso and Chinese President Xi Jinping shake hands at the opening ceremony of the ninth Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Summit, in Beijing, China, Sept. 5, 2024.

Critical minerals and oil, a renewed focus on the Atlantic coast, and the West’s loss of influence in the Sahel are some of the reasons analysts believe Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has chosen the Republic of Congo, Nigeria, Chad and Namibia as the stops on his visit to Africa this week.