Mekelle፡Telaviv, Nairobi, Pretoria, London, (Horn News Hub).
Eritrea and China Forge Strategic Red Sea Partnership Amid Shifting Global Dynamics
By Contributor
Eritrea’s deepening relationship with China is emerging as a pivotal development in the geopolitics of the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea. Long isolated by Western sanctions and wary of outside interference, Eritrea has found in Beijing a partner willing to invest without the political conditions often attached to Western aid.
The two countries elevated their ties to a strategic partnership in 2022, formalising decades of cooperation that date back to Eritrea’s war for independence. During the 1970s, future Eritrean president Isaias Afwerki received training in China, laying the foundation for a relationship built on mutual respect for sovereignty and a shared resistance to Western pressure.
Belt and Road Investment
Central to the alliance is Eritrea’s participation in China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The agreement has unlocked funding for infrastructure projects, including the expansion of key transport corridors, modernisation of telecommunications, and upgrades to the ports of Massawa and Assab. These ports sit on the Red Sea near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a vital maritime choke point through which a significant share of global trade passes.
Chinese companies are also active in Eritrea’s mining sector, where gold, copper, zinc and potash form the backbone of the country’s export economy. Machinery, construction equipment and consumer goods flow back from China, creating a trade relationship that Eritrean officials describe as essential to economic growth.
Strategic and Political Stakes
For Beijing, Eritrea offers more than economic opportunities. Its Red Sea coastline provides a strategic foothold that complements China’s established presence in neighbouring Djibouti, where it maintains its first overseas naval base. Analysts say Eritrea strengthens China’s ability to secure sea lanes critical for energy shipments and trade between Asia, Africa and Europe.
Eritrea, for its part, benefits from China’s support in international forums, including opposition to United Nations sanctions and recognition of its sovereignty. Asmara has in turn backed Beijing’s core policies, such as the “One China” principle.
Risks and Unanswered Questions
Despite its promise, the partnership raises concerns. Economists warn that Chinese loans could leave Eritrea vulnerable to debt dependency, particularly given the opaque nature of many agreements. Critics also argue that close ties to China along with warming relations with Russia and Iran could further isolate Eritrea from Western nations and heighten regional tensions.
“The economic lifeline is real, but so are the risks,” said a regional analyst based in Nairobi. “Eritrea must balance the need for development with the need to preserve its autonomy and avoid unsustainable debt.”
Regional Implications
The alliance comes as the Horn of Africa faces mounting instability, including conflict in Sudan and shifting alliances across the Red Sea. China’s patient, investment-driven approach stands in contrast to Western policies focused on security and governance, offering Eritrea an alternative path that could influence the broader balance of power.
Outlook
Whether Eritrea can translate Chinese investment into broad-based development remains uncertain. Much depends on the transparency of deals, the sustainability of financing, and the government’s ability to diversify its economy beyond resource exports.
What is clear is that the Eritrea–China partnership marks a significant shift in Red Sea geopolitics. For Asmara, it offers a rare combination of capital and political backing. For Beijing, it strengthens a strategic corridor in an increasingly contested region a quiet but consequential move in the evolving global order.
