Group 1 - Angola is seeking $4.5 billion in funding to construct a railway to Zambia's copper-rich region [1] - Italy has committed $320 million to the project, while the African Development Bank has pledged $500 million [1] - The Egyptian government has expressed interest in providing funding for the project this week [1] Group 2 - The new Zambian branch is part of a larger project called the Lobito Corridor, aimed at connecting the region to promote mineral and agricultural trade [1] - The project will link Zambia's copper mines to the existing Lobito line that extends from the Atlantic port city to Congo [1]

Group 1 - The CEO of Lobito Atlantic Railway (LAR) emphasizes that the company operates purely as a commercial entity without geopolitical considerations, despite the U.S. framing the Lobito Corridor as a strategic initiative against China [1][2] - The Lobito Corridor is part of a broader plan proposed during Biden's administration to create a trade railway network connecting Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Zambia, aimed at reducing Western reliance on Chinese supply chains for critical minerals [1][2] - The U.S. has committed nearly $4 billion to the Lobito Corridor project, with an additional $600 million promised, despite concerns about potential funding cuts under the Trump administration [1] Group 2 - LAR maintains close commercial ties with China, serving as a key logistics supplier for Chinese mining companies and relying on Chinese-manufactured equipment [2] - The company has transported copper for eight Chinese enterprises in the Kolwezi region and has sold sulfur through Lobito Port to Chinese solvent extraction and electrolysis plants in the Democratic Republic of Congo [2] - LAR has procured 1,570 containers from China for railway transport and signed a contract with CRRC for 275 railcars, of which 100 have already been delivered [2] Group 3 - The Lobito Corridor is part of a larger competition for control over mineral trade in Central Africa, with Lobito Port being the only rapid route for transporting key minerals from the Copperbelt region to the Atlantic [2] - China holds a significant advantage in this sector due to its financial support for infrastructure projects in most East African countries, positioning it favorably for accessing critical mineral resources in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo [2]

【环球时报特约记者 任重】"尽管美国将安哥拉重要铁路网（洛比托大西洋铁路）定位为对抗中国的战 略举措，但洛比托大西洋铁路公司（LAR）首席执行官表示，该公司是纯粹的商业实体，不考虑任何地 缘政治因素。"香港《南华早报》23日报道称。LAR新任首席执行官（CEO）富尼耶在接受采访时称， 洛比托大西洋铁路项目并非旨在对抗中国，负责改造、运营和维护该铁路的LAR还与中国有着密切的商 业联系。 洛比托大西洋铁路是美国前总统拜登执政期间提出的"洛比托走廊"计划的一部分，后者旨在运营一张连 接安哥拉、刚果（金）和赞比亚三国的贸易铁路网。《南华早报》报道称，该计划旨在降低西方关键矿 产供应链对中国的依赖风险。拜登在去年12月即将卸任前访问安哥拉期间，重点推广了该项目，称美方 已承诺投资近40亿美元，并额外追加6亿美元。 特朗普重返白宫后，大幅削减对外援助，引发外界对美国可能放弃"洛比托走廊"的担忧。不过，今年4 月，一名外交官表示美国仍将致力于资助该计划，由大宗商品公司托克集团、葡萄牙建筑巨头Mota- Engil和比利时铁路运营商Vecturis SA牵头成立的LAR负责经营计划中的铁路。该公司上周任命富尼耶为 新任CE ...