Wednesday, April 26, 2006

The Beijing-Abuja oil axis

This is truly alarming:

China has secured four oil drilling licences from Nigeria as President Hu Jintao continues his week-long tour of Africa, his second in three years.

In exchange China will invest $4bn (£2.25bn) in oil and infrastructure projects in Nigeria.


China will buy a controlling stake in Nigeria's 110,000 barrel-a-day Kaduna oil refinery and build a railroad system and power stations.

Nigeria, Africa's top oil exporter, has long been viewed by China as a partner.

That partnership could turn out to have serious ramifications for American and European security. After all, China is clearly trying to set up shop in Africa, forging alliances with resource-rich countries like Nigeria.

Do we have any doubt that China will eventually be a global power to rival the United States? At the very least, we should be anticipating, and preparing for, that future.

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