Africa has emerged as a pivotal partner in China’s Maritime Silk Road Initiative (MSRI), the maritime dimension of Beijing’s flagship Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). One of the key footholds for Chinese inroads has been the Mombasa Port, located on Kenya’s south-eastern coast.

Mombasa—the largest and busiest port in East Africa—serves as a gateway for landlocked countries in Africa and is central to regional trade. Thus, it is imperative to examine how the port serves as a crucial node in China’s engagement with Africa and reflect on China’s broader geopolitical ambitions in the Western Indian Ocean.

Africa’s strategic value to the Maritime Silk Road Initiative

Africa’s strategic importance to the Maritime Silk Road (MSR) stems from its location along critical maritime routes and its wealth of resources. Ports on the Indian Ocean and East African coasts, such as those in Mombasa and Djibouti, provide China access to vital sea lanes, facilitating the movement of goods between Asia, Africa, and Europe. Africa’s vast natural resources are crucial to China’s resource security, ensuring a stable supply of raw materials for its industries. Additionally, Africa’s growing consumer markets have emerged as critical for Chinese investment. According to estimates, African markets received 5.1 percent of China’s total exports in 2023.

Geopolitically, China seeks to counterbalance Western influence by securing long-term infrastructure partnerships across Africa. These relationships strengthen the Chinese foothold in global trade while fostering economic dependencies that support its broader geopolitical ambitions. This ensures that China maintains its dominance in key supply chains and emerging markets across the continent​.

Initially, China’s engagement in Africa was welcomed, symbolised by historic projects like the Tan-Zam Railway. However, modern relations have become more complicated. As Chinese companies expand their presence, friction has grown due to concerns about subpar projects, a lack of local economic benefits, and fears of neo-colonialism. This has resulted in rising anti-Chinese sentiment, particularly in democratic countries like Kenya and South Africa, where protests highlight dissatisfaction with Chinese labour practices and capital investment.

Kenya-China relations: A strategic gateway to East Africa

Kenya, a gateway to East Africa and one of the continent’s largest economies serves as an excellent platform for China to broaden its reach into the rest of Africa. The country’s engagement with China exemplifies Beijing’s approach to economic diplomacy on the continent, particularly through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Since 2005, Kenya’s foreign policy has shifted towards a “Look East” framework, emphasising the expansion of Chinese loans and Chinese-operated infrastructure projects as alternatives to Western investments. China has become Kenya’s largest trading partner, and although Kenya’s exports of tea, coffee, herbs, and avocados have gained increasing traction among Chinese consumers, the trade deficit was at US$ 9.39 billion in 2023, more than half of which is due to the significant investment, trade deals, and developmental assistance it receives from China.

A key example of China’s influence in Kenya is the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), a flagship BRI project aimed at addressing Kenya’s infrastructure needs by connecting Mombasa to Nairobi. The Export-Import (EXIM) Bank of China financed 90 percent of the project, with the Kenyan Government contributing the remaining 10 percent, and the China Road and Bridge Corporation led the construction. The SGR created30,000 jobs for locals and transported 5.4 million passengers and 1.3 million TEUs of shipments in its first year. However, despite these accomplishments, the project has faced challenges, with many young Kenyans expressing dissatisfaction with low-paying, unskilled jobs. Moreover, the SGR has operated at a loss since its inception, accumulating over US$ 200 million in losses since May 2020.

Mombasa port: A geopolitical anchor in East Africa

Served by the naturally existing Kilindini Harbour, Mombasa is a vital gateway for trade in East Africa and the world at large, connecting landlocked nations in the region to international markets. It is a crucial driver of economic growth, revenue generation, and job creation. It fosters regional integration, promotes cooperation among neighbouring countries, and contributes to the stability of the region. As a result, Mombasa holds immense importance in the context of global power competition in Africa.

Mombasa’s strategic location allows China to secure maritime routes and extend its naval reach, reinforcing its economic and military leverage in the region. The port enhances China’s influence in East Africa, enabling Beijing to strengthen its position in global maritime trade and logistics. China’s heavy investment in the port, along with related infrastructure projects, like the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), ensures its long-term presence in the region. This presence helps solidify its geopolitical goals, including increasing its military access and economic leverage in the region, thus, positioning Mombasa as a cornerstone of China’s broader influence in Africa.

Building multimodal connectivity across Africa

The MSR is driving the development of multimodal connectivity across Africa, linking sea, rail, and road networks to create more efficient trade routes that connect African markets to global supply chains. A key example of this is the Lamu Port-South Sudan-Ethiopia-Transport (LAPSSET) Corridor project, which aims to reduce the overdependence on Mombasa. Under this project, new infrastructure, like the Lamu Port, is being developed and linked to major East African nations. While an oil pipeline is planned, alternative routes through Tanzania or Ethiopia are considered more viable. These developments align with China’s goal of establishing efficient transport networks under the MSR to ensure a smoother movement of goods from African ports to inland markets.

Security and strategy in China’s engagement with African ports

China’s engagement with African ports is strategically focused on key regions like East Africa, the Indian Ocean, the Red Sea and the Horn of Africa, where ports such as Djibouti, Mombasa, and Dar es Salaam provide access to major maritime routes in the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea, vital for global trade and energy security.

China’s investments in African ports often have dual-use potential, serving both economic and military functions. While these ports are framed as commercial projects, many have additional functions, supporting not just economic activities but the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) as well, enhancing China’s naval reach and allowing it to project military power to secure its maritime interests. This is especially seen in Djibouti, the location of China’s first overseas military base, strategically located in a country that has proximity to major shipping lanes. Additionally, China often employs a debt-for-infrastructure model, providing large loans for port development. This model raises concerns about the risks of “debt-trap diplomacy” in Africa, similar to what was seen in Sri Lanka’s Hambantota port.

Projects like the LAPSSET align with China’s goal of establishing efficient trade routes across Africa. However, any country should be cautious while navigating the balance between economic growth and safeguarding their financial sovereignty, drawing lessons from Sri Lanka’s experience.