South Africa recently hosted joint naval exercises with Russian and Chinese vessels docked in Richards Bay. Although the South African government maintains that the drills are routine, critics see them as a risky strategy due to world powers vying for influence in Africa. This is in part due to Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine and China’s increasingly aggressive posture towards self-ruled Taiwan. The exercise coincides with the one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and some believe that hosting such exercises could be interpreted as taking sides.
Russia and China are seeking to forge new international coalitions, with their anti-colonial history coming to the fore. South Africa’s ruling ANC has long-standing ties to Moscow, which supported its struggle against the racist apartheid regime that many Western countries had considered to be a cold war ally. South Africa also values its place within the BRICS block alongside Russia, China, India, and Brazil, and supports Beijing’s plan to expand membership and increase clout. China is also the continent’s top bilateral trading partner, although two-way trade with the EU amounted to around 53 billion last year according to South African data.
Critics of South Africa’s push to deepen ties with Russia and China point to the economics, with the opposition Democratic Alliance saying that it is a slap in the face of trading partners to be so clearly on the side of Russia on the anniversary of the invasion. Nevertheless, South Africa has rejected any criticism and points to similar exercises held with other international partners such as France. The government maintains that it maintains a neutral stance on the Ukraine conflict and abstained from voting on a UN resolution last year condemning Russia.
South Africa’s joint naval exercises with Russia and China come at a time when world powers are vying for influence in Africa. South Africa’s history and ties with Moscow make it an attractive partner for Russia, while China’s increasing clout in Africa makes it an important trading partner. However, critics argue that South Africa’s push to deepen ties with these countries could damage its relationships with other trading partners, particularly the EU, which is currently the largest market for South African exports.
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