The House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, chaired by U.S. Representative Chris Smith, held a hearing to discuss the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) involvement in Africa’s mining sector. The focus was on human rights abuses, labor exploitation, and regional instability caused by these activities, particularly in countries like the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan, Ethiopia, and Ghana.
Experts testified about how China’s resource-driven policies contribute to forced child labor and geopolitical tensions across the continent. These actions are seen as threats to U.S. national security.
Smith stated that “the greatest beneficiaries of this system—China’s state-owned mining companies—remain silent,” emphasizing the need for change. He highlighted President Trump’s Executive Order aimed at increasing American mineral production as a step towards reducing reliance on foreign adversaries and strengthening domestic supply chains.
Smith also mentioned that “as the CCP tightens its grip on global mineral markets,” decisive action from the U.S. is necessary. The Department of State has shown openness to forming partnerships with countries like the DRC to secure critical resources essential for technological advancement and national security.
Witnesses at the hearing included Sasha Lezhnev from The Sentry, Thierry Dongala from Accountable Africa, Joseph Mulala Nguramo from Atlantic Council Scowcroft Center, and Obert Bore from Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association. They discussed strategies to counter CCP’s practices and promote ethical sourcing of metals vital to global supply chains.
Lezhnev pointed out China’s strategic investment in critical minerals over the past decade, stating that it has spent over $10 billion acquiring mines globally. He noted that such investments have led to significant corruption in African countries exporting these minerals.
Dongala expressed concerns about Chinese companies circumventing artisanal mining regulations and influencing governments to hand over gold mines owned by U.S investors to Chinese operators.
Nguramo highlighted China’s operations in countries lacking transparency and accountability. He argued for U.S leadership in stabilizing regions like DRC for national security reasons while criticizing China’s strategies of exploiting chaotic environments through bribery.
Smith announced his introduction of H.R.2310, the COBALT Supply Chain Act, which aims to prevent goods containing cobalt refined in China from entering the U.S market due to concerns about child labor in their extraction process.
For more information on this advisory: https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=413579
