Seize the opportunity period of transformation and upgrading in China Africa cooperation

China's cooperation with Africa is persistent and enduring. Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs, visited Egypt, Tunisia, Togo, and Cote d'Ivoire from January 13th to 18th. This is the first visit by a Chinese Foreign Minister to Africa at the beginning of 34 consecutive years. As an important partner in the joint construction of the "the Belt and Road", the cooperation between China and Africa will start a new journey, which will be of special significance in 2024, the starting year of the new decade of the joint construction of the "the Belt and Road". Especially, the new China Africa Forum will be held in China, and new cooperation measures will be announced soon. Chinese enterprises will also face new opportunities to conduct business with Africa.
African countries appreciate Chinese companies doing business in Africa. For example, when Ivory Coast Prime Minister and Minister of Sports and Livelihood Robert Bergray visited the San Pedro Stadium in Cote d'Ivoire, which was built by a Chinese company, on January 5th local time, he highly praised the construction company, China Civil Engineering, for completing the project construction on time and with high quality. He particularly praised the quality of the on-site lawn and expressed gratitude to the Chinese civil engineering construction personnel in person. He stated that as the final stop for the overall inspection of all sports venues and supporting facilities before the competition, the construction quality and preparation of the San Pedro Stadium are satisfactory.
Chinese companies will continue to deepen their efforts in the African market. In the past year, the FDR overseas warehouses built by Chinese companies have become a foothold for Chinese companies to invest in southern Africa, leading more companies to integrate into the African market. The advantages of independent brands in overseas warehouses have emerged, with more than 100 self organized product docking conferences held annually, and more than 400 domestic participating companies and more than 6500 participating purchasers. Wang Guangda, general manager of FRD, said that in the future, he would strive to create a national level China Africa economic and trade park, help enterprises to deepen their efforts to build the African market of the "the Belt and Road" countries, adhere to the principle of joint consultation, joint construction and sharing, and promote the development path of China and Africa with smooth trade and common people.

The Chinese government has also introduced new policies for cooperation between China and Africa. The General Plan for the Construction of Pilot Zones for Deep Economic and Trade Cooperation between China and Africa (hereinafter referred to as the "General Plan"), which was approved by the State Council on January 7, 2024, proposes three key points: focusing on promoting the alignment of development strategies between China and Africa, innovating the mechanism of economic and trade cooperation between China and Africa, improving the modern industrial and supply chain system between China and Africa, and enhancing the synergy level of trade, industry, finance, and cultural cooperation between China and Africa, We will promote the high-quality development of the the Belt and Road jointly built by China and Africa to achieve new and greater results, and build a high-level China Africa community of common destiny.

"At present, the world is undergoing a century long transformation, and China Africa cooperation is in a complex environment of three phases of cooperation transformation and upgrading, exploration of Africa's development path, and adjustment of international cooperation with Africa." Liu Qinghai, Director of the Institute of African Economics at the Institute of African Studies at Zhejiang Normal University, analyzed that the three focus points of the "Overall Plan" have adapted to the needs of China Africa development under the new situation.
On the one hand, cooperation is important for both China and Africa. Liu Qinghai said that firstly, Africa has unique development conditions. Africa not only has a population of 1.4 billion, but also two-thirds of the strategic resources needed for the Fourth Industrial Revolution come from Africa. Africa urgently needs to introduce funds and technology to transform its resource advantages into development advantages. For example, the great development of African mining still requires China's cooperation and participation. Secondly, China's construction of a new development pattern cannot be separated from mutually beneficial cooperation with African countries. The huge production capacity and construction capacity formed by China in a favorable cycle urgently need to be expanded, and the industries between China and Africa can achieve gradient docking. Thirdly, because Africa highly agrees with the concept of a community of shared future between China and Africa, it is almost a continent participating in the "the Belt and Road" initiative, and plays a key role in maintaining the stability of the international industrial chain supply chain in China's building of a new development pattern at this stage. Finally, due to significant cultural and institutional differences, it is not conducive to deepening economic and trade cooperation between China and Africa. It is necessary to further strengthen communication and cultural exchanges.
On the other hand, the problems and challenges faced by China Africa cooperation will also increase. Liu Qinghai believes that under the haze of the Sino US game and the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Africa's own development is becoming more uncertain, and the risks of China's cooperation with Africa are rising. Therefore, in the future, China Africa cooperation needs to solidify the public opinion foundation of China Africa production capacity cooperation through "small and beautiful" livelihood projects; Chinese enterprises are entering new energy and energy storage related industries in Africa to support low-carbon development in Africa; China needs to assist in the construction of African integration and promote the deepening of China Africa free trade cooperation; China also needs to actively innovate, innovate investment and financing models in the field of infrastructure, explore cooperation models between China and Africa and third parties, and so on.
"In the new decade of jointly building the 'the Belt and Road', there are many changes and changes in China Africa cooperation." In Liu Qinghai's view, the unchanged aspects of China Africa cooperation include: continuing to uphold the policy concept of truth, affinity and sincerity towards Africa, the correct concept of justice and interests, and the principle of common consultation, joint construction and sharing; Emphasize the role of the Forum on China Africa Cooperation platform; Emphasize the alignment of development strategies between China and Africa; Continue to support industrialization and agricultural construction in Africa, and so on. What has changed is the effect of the three focus points of the Overall Plan. The quality of China Africa joint construction of the "the Belt and Road" will be further improved, and the construction of China Africa community of shared future will move to a higher level.