Official States: China-Africa Economic and Trade Cooperation Reaching New Heights
According to Assistant Minister of Commerce Tang Wenhong, China-Africa economic and trade cooperation has reached new heights since the 2021 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), providing concrete advantages to the populations of both China and Africa.
![Official States: China-Africa Economic and Trade Cooperation Reaching New Heights](https://news.cgtn.com/news/2024-08-20/Official-China-Africa-economic-trade-cooperation-scaling-new-heights-1wdNduKVirm/img/2287d2a2c355481eb7f713224ba1a868/2287d2a2c355481eb7f713224ba1a868-750.png?#)
"In 2021, the Eighth Ministerial Conference of the FOCAC was held successfully. At the opening ceremony, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced that China and Africa had jointly prepared the China-Africa Cooperation Vision 2035. Under the first three-year plan of this Vision, China will work closely with African countries to implement the nine programs," Tang stated.
Following the conference, China's Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the China International Development Cooperation Agency, along with other entities involved in FOCAC, have enhanced collaboration and excelled in their efforts to realize the nine strategic programs, propelling China-Africa trade and economic cooperation to unprecedented levels, and greatly improving the quality of life in both areas, Tang noted.
Tang shared these observations during a media briefing about the 2024 FOCAC Summit, which will focus on economic, trade, and development collaborations. This briefing was organized by the State Council Information Office of China.
The efforts under these nine programs have strengthened China-Africa relations in established sectors, according to Tang, who highlighted progress made in trade facilitation, investment stimulation, poverty alleviation, and agricultural advancements.
China-Africa trade totaled $282.1 billion in 2023, maintaining China’s position as Africa’s primary trading partner for the 15th consecutive year. This partnership has facilitated the completion of key infrastructure and industrial endeavors such as the Lekki deep-sea port in Nigeria, the airport expressway in Nairobi, solar power projects in South Africa, and home appliance manufacturing in Egypt.
"These projects have elevated China-Africa cooperation along industrial and supply chains. Egypt issued Africa's first panda bond. These efforts have enriched the financing channels for China-Africa trade and economic cooperation. To support Africa's agricultural modernization, China has sent over 500 agricultural experts to Africa and provided nearly 9,000 training opportunities for agricultural professionals from Africa," Tang explained.
The 2024 FOCAC Summit, scheduled for September 4-6 in Beijing, will serve as a platform for renewing ties and exploring new cooperative ventures between China and Africa.
Chinese authorities have announced plans to further open institutional avenues to Africa and enhance cooperation in industries and supply chains, aiming to foster better economic integration and interconnected growth between China and Africa, thus enhancing their strategic relationship and contributing more significantly to a robust, comprehensive partnership and a high-level community of shared future.
Max Fischer for TROIB News