Wang Huiyao

Opinion | To truly unlock Africa’s potential, China must expand cooperation

China and Western nations could adopt the third-party cooperation model to help African countries address their many challenges

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Chinese President Xi Jinping (centre, first row), Senegal’s President Bassirou Diomaye Faye (left), Kenya’s President William Ruto (right) and other leaders of African nations attend the opening ceremony of the ninth Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Summit at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on September 5. Photo: Reuters

Wang Huiyao

Published: 4:30pm, 23 Sep 2024Updated: 6:20pm, 23 Sep 2024

As the world continues to wrestle with unprecedented global challenges, Africa’s development has become a focal point for international cooperation. While collaboration between Africa and China has made significant strides in recent decades, it is now time for a more inclusive approach to empowering the African continent.

The recent Forum on China-Africa Cooperation summit highlighted the strength of their relations, with China announcing a 10-point action plan to deepen its partnership with Africa. However, to truly unlock Africa’s potential, we must now expand this cooperation to more global partners, leveraging the strengths and resources of a wider range of nations and institutions.

Despite the geographical distance between China and Africa, the friendship between the two has a deep and enduring history. Since the founding of the People’s Republic of China, China has extended broad support to African countries. The Tanzania-Zambia Railway, built in the early 1970s, stands out as a significant example of this early cooperation – a project in which my father proudly participated.

Over the years, collaboration between China and Africa has transitioned beyond infrastructure to supporting African countries working to reach their national development goals. The focus has expanded to sustainable, high-quality development, including green programmes.

Since 2021, China has participated in more than 120 climate projects in Africa. Also, to ensure the continued implementation of these programmes, as of the end of 2019, China had deployed peacekeeping forces or observers to at least four African regions, reflecting a commitment to the continent’s stability and growth.

Africa, a continent with the world’s youngest population and largest number of developing countries, boasts abundant labour and rich natural resources. However, historical factors such as colonial rule have impeded Africa’s economic development.