This move by China in Africa is making US restless, top American military official claims Beijing is copying Washington's..., aim is to...

The United States has raised concerns over China’s increasing influence on African military forces. A top US military official has claimed that China is copying American training programmes and offering military aid to African nations, which could reduce America’s long-standing presence in the continent. General Michael Langley, head of the US Africa Command (AFRICOM), said that China is replicating the US International Military Education and Training (IMET) programme. IMET is a grant-based scheme that has helped train thousands of military and civilian personnel from Africa. Speaking at a defence chiefs’ conference in Nairobi, Langley warned that China is using similar methods to strengthen its defence ties with African countries.

China is not only offering training but also supplying weapons and military equipment, especially to countries in the Sahel region. These are mostly led by military governments that are distancing themselves from traditional Western allies like the US and France.

Experts have warned that China’s growing involvement could weaken the United States' role in Africa. Until recently, the US was the main partner for military training and support in the region. But now, both China and Russia are expanding their reach. Russia has already deployed private militias in several African nations.

China has stepped up its efforts in recent years. Just last month, about 100 young and mid-level African military officers from 40 different countries attended a training session in China. At last year’s China-Africa summit, President Xi Jinping promised to train 6,000 African troops and invite 500 young officers to China over the next three years. China also pledged military aid worth 1 billion yuan (around US$139 million).

Meanwhile, the US military training numbers have remained flat or are declining, especially since the Trump administration began cutting foreign aid and shifting focus from direct military support to helping African countries become more self-reliant.

David Shin, a former US ambassador and current professor at George Washington University, noted that while both countries have been training African military officers for years, China's numbers are rapidly increasing.

The competition between China and the US in Africa continues to grow, and experts believe it could reshape military and political relationships on the continent in the years to come.