China and Africa usher in a new wave of cooperation (global hotspot)

Recently, new quality productivity has become a hot topic in overseas media and public opinion. Many African media outlets have expressed the view that China's accelerated development of new productive forces is expected to release positive effects. The innovative cooperation between China and Africa in expanding new productive forces is of great significance for promoting economic growth and achieving sustainable development in Africa, and will bring new vitality and opportunities to Africa's development.

Experts analyze that traditional friendship between China and Africa is profound, and cooperation has yielded fruitful results. Under the mechanism platform of jointly building the "the Belt and Road" initiative and the Forum on China Africa Cooperation, China Africa exchanges in new technologies, new energy and new industries are increasingly close. China is developing new productive forces and deeply aligning with Africa's development strategy, opening up new space and injecting new momentum into China Africa cooperation.

Africa pays attention to the "East Wind" of the development of new quality productivity

The independent online news website of South Africa recently published a report on new quality productivity, stating that China is vigorously promoting the construction of a modern industrial system and accelerating the development of new quality productivity. New productive forces play a leading role in innovation, breaking away from traditional economic growth methods and development paths of productive forces. They possess advanced productive forces with characteristics of high technology, high efficiency, and high quality, and are in line with the new development concept. To this end, China is increasing its innovation efforts, cultivating and strengthening emerging industries, and advancing the layout and construction of future industries.

According to the report, through the high-quality co construction of platforms such as the "the Belt and Road", the achievements of China's new productivity development are expected to benefit the co construction of the "the Belt and Road" countries and bring impetus to the development and reform of related industries. Africa will be a beneficiary of China's development of new quality productive forces. "China's development of new productive forces will further expand China Africa relations and consolidate the achievements of cooperation with Africa. A more innovative Africa can seize new opportunities and improve its economic prospects."

The Nigerian Pioneer recently noticed that China is accelerating the cultivation and development of new quality productive forces. The report cites an analysis that China's development of new quality productivity does not mean ignoring or abandoning traditional industries, but rather promoting the transformation of traditional industries towards high-end, intelligent, and green directions. This transformation is crucial for improving production efficiency and global competitiveness. At present, China is actively promoting the research and development of scientific and technological innovation projects in multiple fields, and African scholars are expected to participate in it, expanding cooperation between China and Africa in fields such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, and aerospace technology.

South Africa's Star newspaper cited data recently released by the National Bureau of Statistics of China, stating that the Chinese economy had a good start in the first quarter, boosting confidence in economic development. The resilience and potential of the Chinese economy have been recognized by foreign investors. China continues to promote new quality productivity and will provide new opportunities for the world through high-quality development.

The Central African Republic Potential Network recently published a commentator's article stating that China is actively cultivating and developing new quality productive forces, and promoting high-quality economic development. The article states that China has always been an important engine of global economic growth. China's high-quality development will continue to inject momentum into the world economic recovery and also bring new opportunities for the development of African countries.

At the third International Forum on Democracy: Common Values for All Humanity held recently, Peter Kagwanga, President of the African Policy Research Institute, talked about new quality productivity in his keynote speech. He said that riding on the momentum of new energy, high-tech manufacturing, artificial intelligence and other new productive forces and high-quality development, China is leading southern countries around the world to promote global governance reform from multiple aspects. China provides global public goods to developing countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, enabling these countries to independently explore modernization paths that are suitable for their own country and regional conditions.

Cooperation in new fields meets the development needs of Africa

China's accelerated development of new productive forces has won the attention of African media and public opinion. Experts say that China and Africa have established in-depth cooperation in the fields of new technology, new energy, and new industries, and the construction of various projects is steadily advancing. Expanding cooperation in new areas related to productive forces between China and Africa on this basis is in line with the common interests and expectations of both sides.

Zhang Yongpeng, a researcher at the Institute of West Asia and Africa, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told our reporter that China Africa cooperation has made positive progress in recent years in areas such as digital economy and green development. In the field of digital economy, China actively supports the construction of digital infrastructure in Africa and participates in the construction of multiple submarine cable projects connecting Africa and the continents of Europe, Asia, and the Americas; Since the establishment of the Forum on China Africa Cooperation, Chinese enterprises have helped African countries add and upgrade approximately 150000 kilometers of communication backbone networks, with network services covering approximately 700 million users. At the same time, China actively engages in e-commerce cooperation with Africa, sharing development experiences such as electronic payments and smart logistics, and helping countries such as Ethiopia, South Africa, and Cote d'Ivoire build e-commerce ecosystems. In addition, Chinese technology products and mobile application software are also widely popular in the African market.

"In terms of green development, China is an important partner in Africa's energy transformation. So far, it has implemented hundreds of clean energy and green development projects within the framework of the Forum on China Africa Cooperation, supporting African countries to better leverage the advantages of clean energy such as solar energy, hydropower, wind energy, geothermal energy, and helping Africa achieve green, low-carbon, and high-quality development." Zhang Yongpeng said.

In the transformation and upgrading of traditional industries, China and Africa have also maintained close cooperation.

Professor Zhang Chuanhong from the School of Humanities and Development at China Agricultural University told our reporter that China and Africa have accumulated rich cooperation experience in the field of agricultural modernization. Over the years, China has actively shared agricultural technology and development experience with African countries, supporting them in improving their agricultural production and processing levels, and increasing their agricultural yield and product added value, from hybrid rice technology and rice fish symbiosis system to mushroom grass technology and cassava breeding technology. In recent years, China has actively collaborated with Africa to establish remote sensing application cooperation centers and meteorological stations, continuously strengthening scientific and technological cooperation in areas such as sustainable agriculture, water-saving irrigation, food loss reduction, and agricultural climate response, to help Africa address the threat of climate change; At the same time, we will promote investment and construction in agricultural machinery production, warehousing and processing, improve the local agricultural industry chain, and expand the African economic crop agricultural product market through digital cooperation such as e-commerce and online live streaming, as well as establishing a "green channel" for African agricultural products to be exported to China.

"Thanks to China's technology and innovation assistance, Africa's production and lifestyle have significantly improved. China is a 'responsible partner' in helping Africa cope with challenges." Nigeria's "National News" recently published an article stating that Africa's information and communication, transportation, electricity, agriculture and other fields have developed with strong support from China. China Africa technical cooperation in the Internet, big data and other information industries has provided employment opportunities for millions of African youth, and the connectivity of the African continent is deeper and wider than ever before.

On the basis of cooperation, China is accelerating the cultivation and development of new quality productive forces, providing new opportunities for further cooperation between China and Africa.

"African countries have a strong demand for accelerating productivity progress and achieving leapfrog development." Zhang Yongpeng said, "Faced with a new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation, African countries realize the need to avoid falling into the dilemma of high energy consumption growth and reduce backward production capacity caused by extensive development. In recent years, Africa has actively embraced cutting-edge technologies such as digital economy, green development, and artificial intelligence, and accelerated the exploration of modernization and independent development paths. In related fields, China Africa cooperation has a solid foundation, abundant experience, and great potential for mutual benefit and cooperation."

China Africa Joins Hands for Innovation with Broad Prospects

Expert analysis points out that China seeks "quality" from "new", develops new quality productivity, and deeply aligns with Africa's future vision and strategic planning.

Zhang Chuanhong stated that new quality productivity has the characteristics of high technology, high efficiency, and high quality. This is highly in line with the current transformation needs of Africa, especially the development goals proposed in the African Union's 2063 Agenda. In February of this year, the African Union announced the launch of the second 10-year plan of the 2063 Agenda. The plan outlines key areas for the next 10 years, with a particular emphasis on promoting scientific and technological development and innovation, building an environmentally sustainable and climate adaptive economy, enhancing people's well-being, and improving their quality of life. Based on the common direction and goals of medium - and long-term cooperation, China Africa pragmatic cooperation has broad prospects for high-quality development.

The report of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development on the potential for Africa to integrate into technology intensive global supply chains proposes that improving productivity and added value is currently the key to promoting the development of supply chains on the African continent. Africa is actively attracting investors and technology-based supply chains, creating digital and high-tech intensive industries, and promoting technological progress and innovation on the African continent.

"By opening up a new global value chain system to developing countries, China will extend and expand the development dividends of new quality productivity. South Africa and the entire Africa will benefit from the extension of the new value chain," reported the independent online news website of South Africa.

Zhang Yongpeng stated that in the future, China and Africa can further cooperate in areas related to new quality productivity, strengthen innovative cooperation in new generation information technology, new energy, artificial intelligence, and expand cooperation space in advanced manufacturing, space technology, and other areas. Meanwhile, talent is a key factor in the development of science and technology. The exploration of new quality productivity related cooperation between China and Africa will focus on talent cultivation. In recent years, China has helped Africa cultivate urgently needed high-quality technical and skilled talents by establishing national and local cooperation mechanisms and university exchange and cooperation platforms. In the future, according to the economic and social development needs of African countries, China and Africa will continue to expand cooperation in education and human resource development.

Not long ago, the 2024 China Africa Internet Development and Cooperation Forum was held. Representatives from African countries such as Benin, Gabon, and the Democratic Republic of Congo jointly discussed artificial intelligence security and governance, as well as international cooperation issues with China. In December last year, China's assistance to Egypt with the launch of the second satellite successfully entered the designated orbit, becoming the latest footnote in China Africa space technology cooperation.

"With the help of the" the Belt and Road "initiative, the Forum on China Africa Cooperation, the" BRICS+"and other mechanisms and platforms, China's high-quality development achievements are expected to benefit Africa more in the future and provide more support for Africa's economic development and social progress. Both China and Africa will continue to carry out in-depth cooperation in cutting-edge technology and talent cultivation, and jointly explore the path of modern development to meet the needs Zhang Yongpeng said.

People's Daily Overseas Edition (10th edition, April 23, 2024)