中美朋友小聚，热议拜登即将到访安哥拉，洛比托走廊之中美角力Lobito Corridor: A Strategic Pivot

洛比托走廊：中美角力的战略枢纽

地缘经济价值

洛比托走廊被认为是美国近年来在非洲推出的最具雄心的基础设施项目之一，其目标直指与中国的“一带一路”倡议展开竞争。该项目不仅对安哥拉的本格拉铁路进行翻新升级（这条铁路连接了大西洋沿岸的洛比托港和刚果民主共和国的矿产区），还计划延伸至赞比亚的铜矿带，从而形成贯穿南部非洲的一条重要经济走廊。

这一项目由美国、欧盟和非洲开发银行等多方联合投资，总金额约为16亿美元，其中非洲开发银行提供了5亿美元贷款。尽管与中国早在1970年代建成的坦赞铁路相比，洛比托走廊起步较晚，但凭借更现代化的基础设施设计，该项目试图打破非洲资源运输的现有格局，为区域经济发展注入新的活力。

Lobito Corridor: A Strategic Pivot in U.S.-China Rivalry

Geoeconomic Significance

The Lobito Corridor stands out as one of the most ambitious infrastructure projects spearheaded by the U.S. in Africa, a clear attempt to rival China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The project not only involves the overhaul of Angola’s Benguela Railway, which connects the Atlantic coast’s Lobito Port to the mineral-rich regions of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), but also extends plans to link Zambia’s copper belt. This establishes a vital economic artery across Southern Africa.

Backed by a coalition of stakeholders, including the U.S., the European Union, and the African Development Bank (AfDB), the project represents a total investment of approximately $1.6 billion, with the AfDB alone committing $500 million in loans. While it lags behind China’s Tanzanian-Zambian Railway (TAZARA), which has been operational since the 1970s, the Lobito Corridor seeks to disrupt Africa’s logistics landscape with more modern and efficient infrastructure.

洛比托走廊的战略意义

相比于坦赞铁路，洛比托走廊在运输时间、物流成本、连接国际市场的便捷性和现代化技术设施上均具有明显优势。其面向大西洋的出口路线为非洲资源出口提供了更高效、更经济的选择，特别是在与欧美市场的贸易中占据了竞争优势。

-连接市场的便捷性

• 洛比托走廊的地理优势

洛比托港面向大西洋，与欧洲和美洲的海运路线更短。这使得从非洲内部矿产资源输出到主要消费市场的整体时间大幅缩短，对跨国公司和投资者更具吸引力。

• 坦赞铁路的局限性

坦赞铁路主要服务于印度洋沿岸地区，出口市场集中在亚洲。这虽然符合中国在“一带一路”倡议下的战略目标，但对希望快速进入欧美市场的矿产出口国来说，显得不够高效。

-现代化技术与设施

• 洛比托走廊的升级优势

洛比托走廊项目在规划初期就融入了现代化的铁路设计，使用更先进的货运系统和信息化管理手段，提高了运输效率和装卸速度。同时，洛比托港口也在进行全面升级，增加了货运吞吐量和转运能力。

• 坦赞铁路的劣势

坦赞铁路自1975年通车以来，尽管中国多次协助其进行维护和升级，但因建设时间久远，原有的技术和设施已显落后，限制了运输效率。铁路部分路段出现老化，无法承受现代化货运的需求，导致运输瓶颈明显。

-区域经济辐射效应

洛比托走廊的建设，不仅仅是一个连接矿产资源和国际市场的通道，更是一个带动沿线区域经济发展的新引擎：

• 它将安哥拉、刚果（金）、赞比亚等资源大国有效连接，为这些国家提供了一个全新的出口渠道，提升了矿产经济的国际竞争力。

• 坦赞铁路则主要服务于坦桑尼亚和赞比亚的区域需求，其经济辐射能力较为有限。

随着美国、欧盟及非洲开发银行的联合推动，洛比托走廊有望成为非洲资源运输的新标杆，并在全球资源竞争中帮助安哥拉等国家获得更大的地缘经济话语权。这一项目的成功不仅关乎区域经济的振兴，更将在中美非洲博弈中扮演关键角色。

Strategic Importance of the Lobito Corridor

Compared to the TAZARA Railway, the Lobito Corridor demonstrates clear advantages in transportation time, logistics costs, connectivity to global markets, and modern infrastructure. Its Atlantic-facing export route provides African resource exporters with a more efficient and economical option, particularly in trade with Europe and North America, offering significant competitive advantages.

Convenience of Market Access

• Geographical Advantage of the Lobito Corridor

Lobito Port, located on the Atlantic coast, provides a shorter and more direct shipping route to Europe and the Americas. This significantly reduces the overall time required to transport African mineral resources to major consumer markets, making it highly attractive to multinational corporations and investors.

• Limitations of the TAZARA Railway

The TAZARA Railway primarily serves the Indian Ocean coastline, with export markets concentrated in Asia. While this aligns with China’s Belt and Road Initiative goals, it falls short for mineral-exporting countries seeking rapid access to Europe and North America.

Modern Technology and Infrastructure

• Upgrades in the Lobito Corridor

The Lobito Corridor was designed with modern railway technology, incorporating advanced freight systems and digitized management tools to improve transportation efficiency and cargo handling speeds. Lobito Port is also undergoing extensive upgrades to increase cargo throughput and transshipment capabilities.

• Shortcomings of the TAZARA Railway

Since its completion in 1975, the TAZARA Railway has faced significant challenges due to aging infrastructure. Despite periodic maintenance and upgrades facilitated by China, the railway’s outdated technology limits its capacity to handle modern freight demands. Certain sections have deteriorated, causing bottlenecks and inefficiencies.

Regional Economic Impact

The construction of the Lobito Corridor is not just a transportation link between mineral resources and global markets—it also serves as a catalyst for regional economic growth:

• Connecting Resource-Rich Nations

The Lobito Corridor effectively links Angola, the DRC, and Zambia, providing these resource-rich countries with a new export channel that significantly enhances their global competitiveness in the mineral economy.

• Limited Reach of the TAZARA Railway

In contrast, the TAZARA Railway mainly supports regional needs within Tanzania and Zambia, with limited economic ripple effects beyond these areas.

Future Outlook

Driven by investments from the United States, the European Union, and the African Development Bank, the Lobito Corridor is poised to become a new benchmark for resource transportation in Africa. Its strategic orientation towards European and American markets, combined with modern infrastructure, boosts the global competitiveness of African mineral resources and strengthens the geopolitical leverage of countries like Angola.

The Lobito Corridor’s success holds significant implications—not only for regional economic revitalization but also as a critical player in the U.S.-China rivalry over Africa, solidifying the continent’s position as a pivotal element in global strategic competition.

美国的战略布局

此次乔·拜登总统访问安哥拉的重要任务之一，是巩固美国在非洲的经济与政治影响力。从战略层面看，洛比托走廊不仅是经济合作的象征，更是美国抗衡中国在非洲影响力的重要工具。

此外，美国还计划加强在安哥拉的军事部署。例如，有传言称美国可能在索约建设军事基地。这一基地地理位置极其重要，靠近刚果河河口和卡宾达的产油区，也毗邻刚果（金），在大国博弈中具有明显的战略意义。

The U.S. Strategic Agenda

President Joe Biden’s visit to Angola underscores Washington’s intent to strengthen its economic and political footprint in Africa. On a geopolitical level, the Lobito Corridor transcends economic collaboration; it is a deliberate move to counterbalance China’s entrenched influence across the continent.

Additionally, reports suggest that the U.S. may bolster its military presence in Angola, with speculation surrounding the establishment of a military base in Soyo. Strategically located near the mouth of the Congo River and close to Cabinda’s oil fields, this potential base reflects Angola’s growing importance in global resource competition and U.S. efforts to safeguard its interests against China and Russia.

安哥拉的外交平衡术

安哥拉总统若昂·洛伦索一直致力于将安哥拉打造成国际合作的桥梁。他一方面与中国在非洲事务上保持密切合作，另一方面又积极与美国建立联系，试图在中美俄之间找到平衡，从而为安哥拉争取最大利益。

例如，尽管安哥拉依赖中国的大规模投资，尤其是以石油为抵押的基础设施融资，但洛伦索总统也积极吸引美国和欧洲的资金，以实现合作多元化，减少对单一国家的过度依赖。这种精巧的外交平衡策略，彰显了安哥拉在全球地缘政治格局中的战略地位。

洛比托走廊的兴建象征着非洲在全球战略竞争中日益重要的角色，基础设施建设已然成为大国博弈的代名词。对于安哥拉而言，挑战在于如何将这些投资转化为惠及全民的经济增长，同时在强权之间保持独立性和自主性。

Joe Biden(乔·拜登)总统的访问或将成为一个催化剂，不仅推动洛比托走廊的进一步发展，也助力安哥拉在非洲地缘政治舞台上的崛起。

Angola’s Diplomatic Balancing Act

Angola’s President João Lourenço has been skillfully navigating the complexities of global power competition. While maintaining close ties with China, particularly through substantial Chinese investments and loans tied to oil-backed financing, he has also opened avenues for collaboration with the United States. This strategy aims to leverage competition between global powers to maximize Angola’s benefits.

For example, while Angola remains deeply integrated into China’s resource-backed infrastructure network, Lourenço has actively courted American and European investments to diversify Angola’s partnerships and reduce over-reliance on any single country. This delicate balancing act highlights Angola’s ambition to emerge as a diplomatic and economic bridge in the global geopolitical chessboard.