China’s trade with Africa hits record as EU brands Beijing a strategic challenge

China announced that its bilateral trade with African nations reached a record 1,410 billion yuan (about $196.6 billion) in the first half of 2026, driven mainly by equipment and intermediate goods that support industrialisation and agricultural modernisation on the continent. Spokesperson Lin Jian said the volume is expected to grow further and dismissed criticism of trade imbalances as “traps” aimed at undermining Sino‑African cooperation.

At the same time, the European Union formally classified China as a “major strategic challenge”, the first such designation. EU officials highlighted a €98 billion goods trade deficit with China in the first quarter of 2026, the widest gap since 2022, and warned about dependence on Chinese rare‑earth magnets and other critical materials. Commissioner for Trade Maroš Šefčovič said the imbalance is unsustainable, while the EU contended that Beijing’s export controls threaten key sectors such as automotive, defence and wind energy.