Project Details
Projekt
China’s Raw Materials Empire: Imperial Practices in Overseas Mineral Extraction and Processing
Applicant
Professorin Dr. Wiebke Antonia Rabe
Subject Area
Political Science
Term
since 2026
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 550231771
Empires have historically sought to secure access to raw materials from their peripheral regions. In recent decades, China has rapidly emerged as a central actor in various global mining industries, replacing the pivotal role previously held by Western countries. This shift is all the more striking given that many Chinese overseas mineral extraction and processing projects are situated in politically and economically challenging environments. To explain this empirical puzzle, we conceptualize China as a "learning raw materials empire", one that is increasingly exerting control over global raw materials value and supply chains. We argue that China’s strategic dominance in both the upstream and midstream segments of mineral supply chains stems from two key factors. First, its capacity for rapid learning and adaptation to both local and global contexts. Second, a set of practices that collectively take on an imperial character. We ask: 1) How is China learning to establish, maintain, and expand its overseas mineral extraction and processing projects? 2) What practices does China employ in resource-rich countries? 3) To what extent has China succeeded or failed in enhancing its autonomy in securing access to raw materials? 4) What have been the implications for host countries’ dependence on Chinese resources? This project will focus on four energy transition minerals that are policy priorities for China and critical to its strategic emerging industries: cobalt, copper, lithium, and nickel. It will examine three regions where China has made significant investments and which are major global suppliers of these minerals: the Copperbelt in Africa, the Lithium Triangle in Latin America, and Indonesia. First, we will trace the learning and adaptation processes of Chinese political and business elites in response to changes in host countries and the broader international context. Second, we will test three propositions regarding China’s imperial practices. We propose that China seeks to: a) establish control over transnational economic structures in the mineral industry and ancillary infrastructure; b) create host country intermediaries who facilitate and promote Chinese overseas mineral investments; c) use divide-and-rule strategies by selectively granting privileges to different local actors. Lastly, we examine the outcomes of these practices by analyzing the extent to which China has succeeded or failed in enhancing its own autonomy, as well as the resulting degree of host country dependence on China. The project will draw on original interview data collected in China and selected partner countries, complemented by Chinese policy documents, media sources, company reports, and relevant economic data.
DFG Programme
Research Units
