Chinese Primary Foreign Direct Investments in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Cobalt Sector

China is in a position of absolute primacy in the market for metals and mineral resources, controlling up to 50% of the production quotas for rare minerals and almost 95% for rare earth elements (REE). It has capitalised on a long-term strategy made of investments and strategic acquisitions and is now able to legitimately present itself as the international leader in the energy and technology transition, challenging the Western-led international order established on fossil resources. This report analyses the extent to which China has expanded and controlled the supply chain of these indispensable minerals, with a focus on foreign direct Chinese investments in cobalt in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). It explains why China is winning the race for dominance in EV production and why the DRC is a critical player in China’s electric vehicle race with the West. Based on the findings of Francesco Galdiero dissertation, this paper further demonstrates how China's influence in the  DRC cobalt sector increased approximately 6% in the last couple of years and analyses the geopolitical repercussion of such rise.