When Chinese Dream Meets African Aspiration

The year 2023 witnessed a number of notable events in China-Africa relations that are likely to have far-reaching impact on the future of the relationship. Despite the unrests, conflicts and uncertainties prevailing in many parts of the world, China and African countries saw continuous deepening of political mutual trust and winwin cooperation, moving towards a closer China-Africa community of shared future.

Chinese people are working to realise the Chinese dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. At the same time, African people are also striving to fulfil the aspiration of achieving The Africa We Want as described by the African Union’s Agenda 2063, the blueprint and master plan for transforming Africa into a global powerhouse of the future. China has advantages of advanced technologies and equipment, while African countries have rich resources and workforce. They complement each other in development, and can help each other in realising their dreams.

While addressing the China-Africa Leaders’ Dialogue in August, held on the sidelines of the 15th BRICS Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, Chinese President Xi Jinping outlined the key areas in China-Africa cooperation in the years to come. He made proposals in three aspects to chart the course for China-Africa cooperation and help Africa to bring its integration and modernisation onto a fast track - supporting Africa’s industrialisation, supporting Africa’s agricultural modernisation and supporting cooperation on talent development.

The three aspects are important goals for Africa to achieve further development, and are also in line with the goals of Agenda 2063.

To realise the goals, China-Africa cooperation platforms, such as the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), the BRICS mechanism, and the Belt and Road Initiative, should play a greater role in facilitating and supporting China-Africa cooperation.

The 15th BRICS Summit witnessed an expansion of its members from five to 11, with two more African countries, Egypt and Ethiopia, joining in. This move will increase African countries’ opportunities of cooperation with the five original BRICS nations, which are all emerging economic powerhouses as well as important trading partners, export markets and investment sources of many African countries.

As a platform focusing on international economic development, BRICS can meet the demands for African countries’ development, and solve Africa’s diffculties and challenges such as insuffcient infrastructure, shortage of educational resources, weak capacity for independent development and lack of international outreach. The New Development Bank will play an important role in promoting trade and investment in African countries.

FOCAC is another important mechanism to promote bilateral cooperation. From the eight major initiatives put forward at the FOCAC Beijing Summit in 2018 to the nine programmes released at the eighth FOCAC Ministerial Conference held in Dakar, Senegal, in 2021, the FOCAC mechanism is focusing on concrete measures that promote win-win cooperation between China and African countries. In 2024, the new edition of FOCAC meeting will be held, where Chinese and African leaders will meet to discuss a new round of cooperation programmes.