“Now everything is ours”: in Congo, in the secret world of the Chinese masters of Katanga

The big 4 × 4 goes up a busy avenue in Lubumbashi against the flow of traffic. In the traffic jams at the end of the day, our driver has no intention of waiting. He dismounts, passes the entire line honking and continues his journey with confidence. “I am a facilitation company for the Chinese. You can call me for any problem,” he introduces himself with confidence. Business advisor, interpreter and handyman, Guyguys Ngoy intervenes both to unblock a transaction and to get a Chinese national out of trouble with the Congolese authorities. To show us the extent of his network, he takes out his phone and begins a conversation in Mandarin. “I can call whoever I want, whenever I want,” he says as he hangs up.

In this region of the South-East Congo, one of the richest in the country in terms of mineral resources, China has taken the lion's share. On the roads, in factories, behind the walls of mining concessions…