A power vacuum left by a disengaged United States and a weakened Europe has created an opening for powers like China and Russia to expand their influence across North Africa. This is most apparent in the intensifying hard power battles in Libya’s proxy war, but it is also present in soft power competition in trade, investment, tourism, and cultural dissemination. China prefers a more comprehensive, soft power approach rooted in primarily economic ties, while Russia strategically chooses settings to display hard military power and defense diplomacy. China-North Africa relations include both hard and soft power elements. However, China’s role in the region is still in a nascent phase, rooted in primarily soft power linkages and diplomacy.

Source: The North Africa Journal July 20, 2020 13:10 UTC