Xi warns Africa's resources not for rivalry as US seeks critical minerals

Chinese President Xi Jinping told Botswana's President that Africa's resources belong to Africa and should not be tools for geopolitical rivalry, a direct rebuke to US efforts to secure critical minerals on the continent. The statement signals heightened Sino-US competition for African mineral supply chains, with China seeking to frame its engagement as non-exploitative. The outcome depends on whether African nations leverage this rivalry for better terms or align with one bloc.