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Various types of mining sites can be found in Africa today, from large industrial ones to small-scale, illegal ones. While it’s impossible to know the exact number of mines China operates in Africa, one thing is clear: Chinese companies are a major presence in the continent’s mining industries — particularly for minerals essential in the green energy transition, such as copper, cobalt, and lithium. However, as its presence on the continent grows, so does the illegal exploitation of mining resources in many African countries, which is straining diplomatic relations and causing tension with local communities.

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In January 2025, three Chinese nationals were arrested in possession of gold ingots and EUR 800,000 (over USD 920,000) in South Kivu in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Their arrest comes two weeks after the arrest of seventeen other Chinese citizens involved in an illegal mineral operation.

Although China has not commented on the arrest of its nationals in the DRC, it has adopted a protective stance in Ghana.

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Despite the mounting arrests, Chinese authorities have largely avoided acknowledging their citizens’ role in illegal mining. Tong Defa, China’s ambassador to Ghana, rejected the unilateral responsibility of Chinese nationals.

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Such a reaction caused strong reactions among Ghanaian citizens and civil society organizations, who are increasingly in conflict with Chinese companies in these countries.

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