China Development Bank (cdb) announced Monday it would purchase a stake in British-owned banking giant Barclays. Although a very strategic acquisition and a great development for China, the move is just one whitecap in an ocean of multi-billion-dollar Chinese takeovers heading shoreward.

The $3 billion transaction will give the Chinese government-owned cdb a 3.1 percent share of one of Europe’s most influential financial conglomerates. The transaction was brokered by Blackstone Capital, a firm specializing in takeovers. The newly created Chinese State Investment Co. recently purchased a chunk of Blackstone as well. Barclays will get a major cash infusion, but the payoff for China will be much greater, opening two massive doors for cdb.

First, Barclays offers a source for needed international banking expertise. Emerging from a highly restrictive, formerly isolationist, Communist-controlled banking sector, “Chinese banks are keen to get hold of the intellectual capital from the oecd banks that are far more developed,” Alex Potter, an analyst at Collins Stewart in London, said. He said cdb would not even need to purchase a majority stake in the bank to be successful in that regard, as cdb will get a seat on Barclays’ board under the present arrangement.

International banking expertise, especially with regard to corporate takeovers, is expertise dearly needed by Chinese state-owned corporations. In the past year, China announced it would begin diversifying its foreign currency reserves (which are now primarily held in U.S. dollars) and created the Chinese State Investment Co., for that purpose. The company is estimated to have approximately $200 billion to spend. Now China is adding expertise to its assets, which should help it implement a successful international buying spree.

Second, Barclays essentially provides cdb with a bridge to the rest of the world—especially Africa.

According to Barclays, the two banks will share clients with each other. More importantly, the bank said that the deal would help “facilitate international commerce for Chinese companies.” Many Chinese companies are now facing an uphill battle under accusations of attempting to colonize Africa for its mineral and resource wealth.

China’s state-owned corporations have been largely successful in purchasing the loyalty of African governments. However, “[i]n its haste to expand its access to African resources, Beijing neglected to assess local reaction to its spiraling economic, military and diplomatic contacts in the continent,” notes Stratfor. “This ultimately stripped it of immunity to African accusations of imperialism” (July 23).

Consequently, over the past six months, Beijing has grown concerned about the risks facing its African investments. In several countries, its companies are facing growing hostility from local populations and business leaders who perceive China’s business practices as unfair and exploitative. Attacks against Chinese operations are growing, some resulting in kidnappings and deaths.

cdb’s link-up with Barclays is an attempt to shore up its African position at the grass-roots and business levels.

Barclays is Africa’s largest and most successful foreign bank, not to mention the continent’s leading lender, and has significant infrastructure across the continent including in resource-rich South Africa, Kenya, Zambia, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Tanzania—many of the same nations China is significantly invested in. Barclays also has wide demographic coverage, with client relationships in a variety of industries, classes and economic statuses.

“Now Beijing will expand its purchase of political loyalties to business loyalties, leveraging off the British business’s extensive penetration in both relatively rich and poor African countries,” Stratfor reported.

China is not about to give up its acquisitions and investments in Africa or see them threatened without a fight. China has upped the ante in its quest for African resources, which are badly needed for its burgeoning domestic economy. China has the money; expect it to spend it, whether on international corporate investments or on political favor.

Yet, there are other contenders for Africa’s resources. Competition on the continent is heating up. The European Union also has great interest in securing vital commodities for its industry. Look for competition and a coming resource war. Read “Stoking the Engines of Empires” and “The Battleground” to see how the competition over resources will play out among the world’s great powers.