How North African railway is on track to helping China de-risk its iron ore supply scmp.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from scmp.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Observers expect China to focus on trade and business dealings only in Mali, in line with usual policy of avoiding direct intervention in complex conflicts.
Opportunities for infrastructure development and trade have been immense but debt, financing of polluting projects and environmental issues are concerns.