This project breaks new ground in exploring a hitherto understudied aspect of Cold War History – the competition between the Soviet and Chinese models of socialism in Africa. We use Tanzania as a case study to examine the connection between global and local factors and to analyse tangible interactions “on the ground”, highlighting the agency of African actors and their ability to navigate between the two socialist powers and use them to their own ends. Finally, we draw attention to the fact that in forging ties with Africa, the Soviet Union showcased its Central Asian republics as models for a successful socialist modernisation. We will contrast this with the People’s Republic of China’s focus in highlighting the commonalities of the Chinese and African experiences, such as the trauma of imperialism/colonialism, anti-imperialist resistance and developmental models.