The coup in tiny Guinea matters at a geopolitical level. The US-China 'cold war' is a race for strategic dominance of commodities Op-ed

The West African nation of Guinea has just experienced a military coup. Lieutenant-Colonel Mamady Doumbouya, with an elite segment of troops, has overthrown the government of Alpha Conde and seized power, a move that has been condemned by the African Union and China, with the latter demanding that the president be released. The fate of the country is not yet clear, but the geopolitical stakes are already apparent. Guinea is rich in natural resources, but years of turmoil and mismanagement mean it's one of the world’s poorest countries. It is a key exporter of the metal required to make aluminium…