Plunder of Rare Minerals by China Sparks African Pushback

JOHANNESBURG—Chinese mining companies are colluding with organized crime groups, terrorists, and corrupt government officials to operate illegal mines in Africa and to effectively steal valuable minerals and metals, according to security experts and intelligence analysts. Several foreign and African diplomats spoken to by The Epoch Times reported rising tensions between Beijing and some African administrations, because of the unfolding situation and the presence of Chinese criminals in their countries. “There’s strong evidence that Chinese mining firms have funded Islamic militants to disrupt legal mining activities in several African nations,” said Jasmine Opperman, a security consultant based at the University of Pretoria....