Democratic Republic of the Congo: Chinese Development Finance Profile, 2000-2022
Date Published
Oct 10, 2025
Authors
Lea Thome, Brooke Escobar
Publisher
Citation
Thome, L. and Escobar, B. (2025). Democratic Republic of the Congo: The Scale, Scope, and Composition of Chinese Development Finance. Williamsburg, VA: AidData at William & Mary.
Abstract
This country profile provides a detailed overview of the scale, scope, and composition of Chinese state-directed financing in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) from 2000 to 2022. It includes granular information on key trends in China’s loan and grant commitments, its lending portfolio, ESG risks in its infrastructure projects, and contractual safeguards adoption and implementation.
From 2000 to 2022, China directed $23.7 billion in loan and grant-financed commitments for 279 projects in the DRC. China’s partnership with the DRC centers on financing and securing access to critical minerals—especially copper and cobalt, which are essential for the high-tech industries China is building at home and exporting abroad.
The insights in this profile are derived from AidData’s Global Chinese Development Finance Dataset, Version 3.0 and the sources referenced therein. Additional 2022 data collection is based on a forthcoming dataset version launching in November 2025.
Related Publications
Featured Authors
