Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed the new type of China-Africa strategic partnership be upgraded to a comprehensive strategic and cooperative partnership at the Johannesburg Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). This year marks the 10th anniversary of that pivotal moment, a decade during which China and Africa have enjoyed unprecedented cooperation and achieved mutual benefits.
The past 10 years have seen significant strides in China-Africa relations, with both sides working hand in hand to tackle common challenges, promote economic development and enhance people-to-people ties. At the heart of this partnership is a shared vision of modernization and sustainable development. Xi called for building an “all-weather China-Africa community with shared future for new era” and proposed that bilateral relations between China and all African countries having diplomatic ties with China be elevated to the level of strategic relations during the 2024 FOCAC Summit held in Beijing.
To materialize the modernization vision, Xi also proposed 10 partnership actions to be implemented in the next three years at the summit, which cover areas of mutual learning among civilizations, trade prosperity, industrial chain cooperation, connectivity, development cooperation, health, agriculture and livelihoods, people-to-people and cultural exchanges, green development and common security.
China-Africa relations have yielded fruitful results over the past years. Since the establishment of FOCAC 25 years ago, China has helped Africa build over 100,000 kilometers of roads, more than 10,000 kilometers of railways, nearly 1,000 bridges and close to 100 ports. These projects have greatly facilitated intra-Africa trade and enhanced connectivity, playing a key role in Africa’s economic growth.
In recent years, China has steadily expanded market access for African countries. Effective from December 1, 2024, China has granted zero-tariff treatment to all least developed countries (LDCs) with which it has diplomatic relations, including 33 African nations, on 100 percent of their products.
In June this year, China announced the extension of zero-tariff treatment to cover 100 percent of tariff lines for all 53 African countries that have diplomatic ties with China. Industry observers believe this move will foster deeper industrial collaboration, creating greater added value for both sides.
Experts have widely praised the impact of these initiatives. Dennis Munene Mwaniki, executive director of the China-Africa Center at Kenya’s Africa Policy Institute, noted that China’s zero-tariff measures will significantly benefit Africa’s least developed countries, offering them greater access to China’s market and boosting their economies. This, in turn, will help reduce poverty and accelerate economic diversification across the continent.
In addition to trade and infrastructure, China and Africa have worked together in various other areas, including education, healthcare, and environmental protection. China has provided scholarships to thousands of African students, trained professionals, and built hospitals and medical centers to enhance the region’s healthcare capabilities. These people-to-people exchanges have not only fostered goodwill but also helped build a foundation for long-term cooperation.
(Culled from People’s Daily/CGTN)
