Justin Yifu Lin

counselor for the State council of china and Dean of institute of new Structural Economics at Peking University

When China’s reform and opening up started in late 1978, Sub-saharan Africa’s GDP per capita was more than three times that of China. At that time, 84 percent of Chinese lived on less than $1.25 per day, the international poverty standard.

The reason why China has achieved such a great success after 1978 is because of its changing thought of development. In the past, in pursuing modernization, African countries usually acquired

experience and theory from developed countries. The current situation between developed countries and African countries is totally different. In fact, the preconditions for development in Africa are similar to those in China. Therefore, the experience accumulated during the 40 years of China’s reform and opening up and the theory it has developed will have greater reference value for African countries and other developing countries.

At present, the infrastructure in most African countries is relatively poor. It is a bottleneck for economic development. Labor-intensive industrialization has become a key path to prosperity and now the Belt and Road Initiative will play an important role in African countries toward solving the bottlenecks and achieving industrialization.

Peter Kagwanja

President of African Policy institute in Kenya

China and Africa are following their separate non-hegemonic and winwin paths to development. However, infrastructure investment must be profitable and productive to avoid an unsustainable debt burden. The Beijing Summit on the Forum on China-africa Cooperation (FOCAC) that will be held in September should emphasize the need for industrial parks and also examine ways to avoid corruption and political patronage in African projects.

Zerihun Woldu

vice President of Addis

Ababa University in Ethiopia China shows that development can be achieved, from which Africa may draw inspiration for its own development drive. The think tanks and media of China and Africa need to find a common voice and tell a true China-africa relationship story to enhance the image of bilateral relations. Both sides need to improve key skills and capacity, as well as develop common international ethical standards.

china’s reform and opening up allows Africa to see the future and hope, and the success of china is also an important inspiration for African countries to see that modernization is more than one path. CHARLES ONUNAIJU Director of the Center for China Studies of Nigeria

Charles Onunaiju

Director of center for china Studies of nigeria

China’s reform and opening up allows Africa to see a hopeful future, and the success of China serves as an important inspiration for African countries to see that modernization is more than one path.

China-africa cooperation is a mutual learning process. China’s Belt and Road

Initiative has made Chinaafrica relations more dynamic. China and Africa will take a candid approach to dealing with their challenges together. China and Africa can positively influence changing the rules of the game.

Li Yafang

President of BEIJING review Chinese and African media should seek common ground and put aside their differences while respecting cultural diversity. Chinese and African media ought to increase cooperation and exchange so as to promote a mutual understanding between China and Africa.

Liu Hongwu

Dean of institute of African Studies, Zhejiang normal University

The rapid development of China-africa relations is a special window for China’s reform and opening up. In some respects, the bilateral relations have boosted China’s opening to the world, and African countries are also preparing for a new step toward opening up.

Both China and Africa have unique historical and cultural traditions. It is of great importance for them to understand each other, and to follow the path that suits their own development. At the same time, media, scholars, academics and think tanks are also showing a trend of integration. How Chinese and African media can play more roles in China-africa cooperation is an important issue worthy of discussion.

Mohamed Fayez Farahat Mahmoud

Senior researcher of Ahram center for Political and Strategic Studies in Egypt China’s 40 years of reform and opening up have made remarkable achievements that have attracted the attention of the world. The experience proved to be invaluable to developing countries, especially African countries.

Chen Mingkun

vice Dean of institute of African Studies, Zhejiang normal University

Relations between China and Africa in many sectors, including economic, cultural, educational and diplomatic areas, are experiencing fast development. Africa does not intend to follow the Chinese development model directly. But we can learn from each other. We should let more Chinese people know about Africa, and also tell African people more about China and how the country has developed over the past 40 years. * Comments to xyy@chinafrica.cn