Sino-Algerian relations are historical and date back to the time of Mao Zedong. Thus, China and Algeria are indeed old friends. Moreover, China under Mao regarded Algeria as the linchpin of the anti-colonial and anti-imperialist struggle in Africa.
After the end of the Algerian civil war, China’s economic presence in Algeria has increased, as much as it has throughout the wider Middle East and Africa continents, more precisely since 2014, when the two countries signed an agreement of a “comprehensive strategic partnership”, aiming to strengthen economic cooperation. Chinese presence in Algeria has been expanding, topping the first place as Algeria’s partner and displacing France from its pedestal. This investment affects all sectors, including hydrocarbons, which represents the largest Chinese investment aimed at securing China’s hydrocarbon supply. Nevertheless, Chinese participation in the development of this sector, especially in the exploration of new deposits, is an important point for Algeria.
The aim of this chapter is to highlight the nature of Algerian-Chinese cooperation, especially in the field of hydrocarbons, to understand its strategic dimensions and reveal the horizons and future of this cooperation in light of a continental and international environment characterized by instability and change.
