China, Africa, and The Rest: Recent Trends in Space Science, Technology, and Satellite Development

Image: Flickr, NASA Johnson
Image: Flickr, NASA Johnson

China’s investments in African countries have received significant attention since the turn of the millennium, but outer space cooperation has scarcely been mentioned in policy and research literature.

While most space activity in Africa is driven by Africans, outer space cooperation between China and African partner states epitomizes the intersection of peaceful development and security interests of all parties involved. Space infrastructure is crucial to the more commonly studied dimensions of Africa-China relations. This working paper reviews the range of bilateral and multilateral space endeavors through which African countries partner with China and several other international entities and provides recommendations for further research.

The views expressed in this publication/article are those of the author/s and do not necessarily reflect the views of the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA).

1 May 2020