African leaders are focusing on creating seamless transcontinental connections, valuing infrastructure projects like the Lobito Corridor over the geopolitical rivalry between the US and China. While the US sees the Lobito Corridor as a way to counter Chinese influence, African nations prioritize broader connectivity and engagement with Beijing.

Washington may have framed the Lobito Corridor as de-risking mineral supply chains from Chinese influence, but governments in Africa are prioritising a “handshake” with Beijing and other corridors to create a seamless transcontinental connection. The United States views the Lobito Corridor as a direct rival to the China-backed 1,860km (1,156-mile) Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (Tazara) that stretches from Kapiri Mposhi in central Zambia to Dar es Salaam on Tanzania’s eastern coast. The...