By Dan De Luce and Courtney Kube

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration plans to unveil a new strategy for Africa this week focusing on countering China's growing influence on the continent, as well as Russia's attempts to gain footholds in resource-rich, unstable countries, two senior U.S. officials told NBC News.

The strategy will call for bolstering U.S. ties with countries deemed potentially vulnerable to overtures from China and Russia, as well as seeking to fend off attempts by North Korea and Iran to make inroads through economic investments or arms sales, said the senior administration officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

 

The plan, drafted by the White House National Security Council and due to be presented this week at a Washington think tank, will signal a shift by the administration — already underway — that emphasizes America's rivalry with China and Russia as a top priority rather than an exclusive focus on fighting terrorist threats, the officials said.

"Counterterrorism is no longer the organizing principle," said one senior administration official, who was not authorized to speak on the record.

"It's about geopolitics and countering the influence of China and others."

The White House declined requests for comment.