GDI injects new impetus into China-Africa joint development

Editor's note: Tian Huifang is a senior research fellow at Institute of World Economics and Politics, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

In September 2021, China put forward the Global Development Initiative (GDI), aiming to narrow the North-South gap and firmly support developing countries. Later on, China has effectively integrated the initiative with the African Union's Agenda 2063 and the development strategies of African countries. From the 10 major China-Africa cooperation plans proposed at the 2015 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), to the eight major actions at the 2018 Summit, and then to the nine programs at the 2021 Summit, China-Africa cooperation is deepening. At the 2024 Summit, the 10 partnership actions for modernization to deepen China-Africa cooperation was emphasized. These measures will surely provide a steady stream of impetus to Africa's sustainable development.

Responding to Africa's new demands for development 

Among the bottlenecks limiting Africa's economic development, backward infrastructure, difficulties in financing and employment challenges are the three most serious ones. In past cooperations, China and Africa had attached great importance to improving connectivity. According to a report on the achievements of China-Africa cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, Chinese enterprises have participated in the construction and renovation of more than 10,000 kilometers of railways, nearly 100,000 kilometers of roads, 1,000 bridges, 100 ports, 66,000 kilometers of power transmission and transformation lines, and 150,000 kilometers of backbone communication networks in African countries, greatly promoting Africa's connectivity. At the same time, it has also greatly alleviated employment pressures in project locations. The Mombasa-Nairobi railway has created nearly 50,000 jobs for the local people, 80 percent of them Kenyans. More than 600 employees and over 1,000 operators of the the Addis Ababa Djibouti Railway are locals from Ethiopia and Djibouti. During the construction of the Benguela Railway in Angola, over 25,000 jobs were created for the local people, and more than 5,000 people received engineering and technical training.

More and more Chinese enterprises have adopted the build-operate-transfer, public-private partnership and other models to participate in the operation of infrastructure projects, promoting the transformation of China-Africa infrastructure cooperation to the mode of "integration of investment, construction and operation". China announced at the 2024 FOCAC summit that the Chinese government will provide 360 billion yuan ($50.8 billion) of financial support to Africa through the next three years. This breaks down into 210 billion yuan of credit line, 80 billion yuan of assistance in various forms, and at least 70 billion yuan of investment in Africa by Chinese companies. The issuance of Panda Bonds by Africa in China is also encouraged, providing strong support for the practical cooperation between China and Africa in the future.

Uphold the concept of mutual benefit and win-win cooperation and seek common modernization

China takes Africa seriously as an important and equal partner, rather than just seeing it as a platform for humanitarian policies. China has remained Africa's largest trading partner for 15 consecutive years, and China-Africa trade reached a record high of $282 billion in 2023. China has also established a "green channel" for African agricultural products to be exported to China, and importing agricultural products from Africa has become a growth highlight of China-Africa trade.

According to the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, from December 2021 to July 2024, China's total imports from Africa had reached $305.9 billion. Nigerian flowers and avocados have entered the Chinese market, and Chinese consumers love coffee from Ethiopia and Rwanda. China is still one of the main sources of foreign investment in Africa. By the end of 2023, China's stock of direct investment in Africa exceeded $40 billion, and over 3,000 Chinese companies have invested in more than 50 African countries and regions. Investment cooperation has become a new leading force, driving more social capital to participate in Africa's industrialization and modernization, and forming a beneficial supplement to the traditional model of loans and aid to Africa. The Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone in Teda, Egypt, and the Lekki Free Trade Zone in Nigeria continue to exert industrial agglomeration effects, driving a large number of Chinese enterprises to invest in Africa in a cluster manner. Investment in green technology, environmental protection, medical and health care, digital technology and other new areas is growing rapidly and is expected to become new growth areas for future China-Africa cooperation.

Comprehensively assist capacity-building in Africa

The GDI focuses on eight key areas: poverty alleviation, food security, COVID-19 response and vaccines, financing for development, climate change and green development, industrialization, digital economy, and connectivity. It covers priority areas that Africa urgently needs to develop, and is highly compatible with Africa's future development blueprint.

China and Africa have established a strategic partnership and launched a special action plan for China and Africa to address climate change. In September 2023, China proposed the "African Light Belt" project, focusing on helping African countries solve the problem of power shortages through material assistance, exchange and dialogue, joint research and capacity building, while promoting Africa's clean energy development.

In the field of agriculture, China and Africa have cooperated on hybrid rice technology, helping Madagascar, Liberia, Mozambique, among other countries, to increase rice production through technology transfer, cultivation of improved varieties, demonstration and popularization. In terms of personnel training, China and Africa have set up a number of special scholarships, established a college for South-South cooperation and development, and implemented the "Head Goose Plan". So far, 17 Luban Workshops have been set up in Africa, training a large number of highly skilled personnel for African countries.

In terms of health, China has built more than 130 hospitals and clinics in Africa, dispatched Chinese medical teams to 45 African countries, and established cooperation mechanisms with 46 African hospitals to help African countries improve their medical and health standards. Various vocational and technical training schools undertaken by Chinese enterprises have also emerged one after another in Africa. This is not only a practical action to safeguard China-Africa pragmatic cooperation, but also a concrete manifestation of China's international responsibility.

The Chinese Dream and the African Dream are similar, and have the foundation of connectivity and mutual support. This year's FOCAC summit has comprehensively elaborated China's new concepts, new actions, and new measures to strengthen its relations with Africa. It will not only accelerate the quality and efficiency of China-Africa cooperation, but also inject new impetus into the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Africa.