China’s Mineral Exploitation in Africa Threatens US National Security, Congress Hears

Experts say the U.S. government must act to weaken China’s control over African minerals sectors to ensure America’s security and combat corruption in Africa.

Some of the thousands of platinum mineworkers report for work at Lonmin, Anglo American Platinum mine in Marikana, South Africa, on June 25, 2014. Denis Farrell/AP Photo

China is securing dominance in the global minerals sector by propping up illegitimate regimes, bribing government officials for mining rights, and actively encouraging gross violations of human rights, according to testimony given to the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa on April 1.

Beijing is also building a huge stock of gold, the price of which recently hit a record high of more than $3,000 per ounce, to possibly create a new currency aimed at rivaling the United States dollar, members of Congress were told.