The China-au Connection

Outgoing AU Commission (AUC) Chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini-zuma leaves the African Union (AU) having advanced relations between Africa and China. Under her watch she maintained a strong presence in this relationship, visiting China in her official capacity as well as holding meetings with both Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang, at all times stressing that the AUC will continue to play a positive role in boosting China-au relations.

During her term China established a permanent diplomatic mission at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa, a trailblazing development that has since been emulated by other global powers. China became the first country to do so when Ambassador Kuang Weilin was appointed the first head of China’s permanent mission to the AU in 2015. In a reciprocal arrangement, the AU will send a permanent ambassador to China.

Another important milestone is Dlamini-zuma signing a memorandum of understanding on continental transport, high-speed railways, aviation, highways and industrialization with Zhang Ming, Special Envoy and Vice Foreign Minister of China, in January 2015. The agreement followed discussions between Dlamini-zuma and Chinese Premier Li during the latter’s visit to the AU Headquarters in 2014.

“This would be the first continental project that Africa and China will be undertaking in all these areas. The relationship, particularly the cooperation, is taking a different height, a different level, and a different dimension,” Dlamini-zuma said at the time.

According to the AU, the landmark agreement falls within the framework of Agenda 2063, with a view to accelerating continental and regional integration of Africa, something which is vital to Africa’s sustainable development.

Conscious of the need to eradicate poverty on the continent, Dlamini-zuma placed much emphasis on the way China achieved rapid economic growth and industrialization, which demonstrates to African countries how this could be done.

Taking the helm after the upgrading of the AUC from having observer status at the Forum on China-africa Cooperation (FOCAC) to becoming a full member in 2011, she was instrumental in ensuring the move reinforced the AU’S transformation to a major player in China-africa affairs. It also heralded the evolvement of a mechanism for engagement that links Agenda 2063 and the FOCAC action plans. Last year’s FOCAC Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa was a watershed event in China-africa relations, mapping out a blueprint for China’s long-term cooperation with Africa.