$19.2bn Trade: DR Congo Records $10.6bn Surplus With China

Copper and cobalt drive trade as focus shifts towards local processing and industrial value addition

For the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the answer is reflected in its growing trade with China.

Trade between the DRC and China exceeded $19.2 billion in the first seven months of 2026. The DRC recorded a $10.6 billion trade surplus during the period.

The figures show the strong position of the DRC as a supplier of critical minerals to China.

DRC Exports $14.9bn to China

The DRC exported about $14.9 billion worth of goods to China between January and July 2026.

In return, the country imported about $4.3 billion from China.

This gave the DRC a significant trade surplus as mineral exports continued to dominate bilateral commerce.

Copper and cobalt remain at the centre of the relationship.

Copper and related products accounted for about 94 per cent of the DRC’s exports to China. This highlights the country’s role in global industrial and clean-energy supply chains.

Copper and Cobalt Drive Demand

The minerals connect DRC mines with industries producing batteries, electric vehicles, power infrastructure and other energy technologies.

The DRC is the world’s largest cobalt producer and one of Africa’s major copper producers.

This gives the country an important position as global demand for critical minerals continues to grow.

But a bigger question is emerging.

How much of the value created from these minerals stays in the DRC?

Focus Shifts to Local Processing

Greater domestic processing could help the DRC capture more value from its mineral resources.

It could also support industrial production, job creation, technology transfer and higher government revenue.

This could shape the next phase of China-DRC economic cooperation.

The relationship may increasingly move beyond mineral extraction towards local processing, manufacturing and industrial development.

A Changing Africa-China Trade Balance

The DRC figures also challenge the idea that Africa-China trade is mainly about Chinese exports to African countries.

For resource-rich economies such as the DRC, China is also a major market for African commodities.

The $19.2 billion trade volume shows the scale of that relationship.

The $10.6 billion surplus shows that the balance currently favours the DRC.

The longer-term challenge, however, is turning mineral wealth into lasting industrial capacity.

For the DRC, that means converting copper and cobalt resources into factories, skilled jobs, technology and stronger domestic industries.

Copper and cobalt are already reshaping the Africa-China trade balance.

The next challenge is turning that mineral advantage into African industrial value.