Africa, China set priority agenda to advance infrastructure, trade, investment

As the 2024 summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) closed in BeiJing yesterday, Nigerian government and the Republic of China set eight priority agenda to promote high-level practical cooperation across board.

The agenda focused on key areas including; infrastructure, trade and investment, industrial development, digital economy, energy resources, finance, science and technology, agricultural cooperation, culture and tourism, healthcare, education and talent development, and cultural exchanges.

The Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu along with 51 heads of state, government and two presidential representatives of African countries, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, and Secretary-General of the United Nations, attended the summit.

The FOCAC summit which was held on September 4 to 6, 2024 officially adopted two outcome documents: the” Beijing declaration on jointly building an All-Weather China-Africa Community with a shared future for the new era” and the “Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Beijing Action Plan (2025-2027)”

Consul General of the Peoples Republic of China in Lagos, Yan Yuqing, disclosed that the summit marked a significant event as China and Africa embark on a new journey toward modernisation and elevate the building of a China-Africa community with a shared future to new heights.

She said, after six years, Chinese and African leaders gathered again in Beijing to renew friendships, discuss cooperation, and envision the future together. Noted that the outcomes are fruitful, the prospects for cooperation are vast, and the historical significance is profound new positioning: partnership relations closer than ever together in solidarity through thick and thin.

She said, over 24 years, high-level interactions between China and Africa have become increasingly close, political trust has deepened, delivering a leap in China-Africa relations from “a new type of partnership” to “a new type of strategic partnership” and to “a comprehensive strategic and cooperative partnership”.

According to her, the practical cooperation has been highly fruitful, China-Africa trade volume has increased from $10.5 billion in 2000 to $282.1 billion in 2023, nearly a 26-fold increase. Direct Chinese investment stock in Africa has grown from less than $500 million in 2000 to over $40 billion today.

“Over the years, China and Africa have constructed and upgraded nearly 100,000 kilometers of highways, over 10,000 kilometers of railways, nearly a thousand bridges, and nearly a hundred ports. Exchanges in various fields between China and Africa have become unprecedentedly active, with flourishing tourism, cultural, youth, and media exchanges, further solidifying the foundation of public support.

“China-Africa relations have reached a new level. Chinese President Xi Jinping announced in his keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the FOCAC Beijing summit that bilateral relations between China and all African countries having diplomatic ties with China be elevated to the level of strategic relations, and that the overall characterization of China-Africa relations be elevated to an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era.

“As significant representatives of major developing countries and emerging economies, China-Nigeria relations have also reached a new level. During the talks between President Xi Jinping and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who was in China for a State visit and to attend the Beijing Summit of the FOCAC, the two Presidents have agreed to upgrade the China-Nigeria relationship to a comprehensive strategic oartnership and build a high-level China-Nigeria community with a shared future. ”

Yuqing stated that the two presidents jointly witnessed signing of several bilateral cooperation documents in areas such as “the Cooperation Plan on Jointly Promoting the Belt and Road Initiative”, the implementation of the Global Development Initiative, economic development, the application of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System, peanut exports to China.

She said their strengthened strategic cooperation will propel a new dynamic for China-Africa relations in the new era and lead the Global South to march together.” New Goals: China-Africa and China-Nigeria’s joint pursuit of modernization is a shared dream of China and Africa.

“As a new form of human civilization, Chinese modernization breaks the myth that “modernization equals Westernization,” demonstrating that developing countries have both the right and the ability to explore modernization paths suited to their own conditions. It provides inspiration and reference for Africa’s independent exploration of development paths and the realization of “African modernization.

“President Xi Jinping announced that China and Africa should jointly advance characteristics of modernisation that is just and equitable, increase exchanges of governance experience with Africa, support all countries in exploring modernization paths befitting their national conditions, and help ensure equal rights and equal opportunities for all countries;

“Jointly advance modernisation that is open and win-win, deepen cooperation with Africa in industry, agriculture, infrastructure, trade and investment, promote exemplary, high-quality Belt and Road cooperation projects, and build together a model for the delivery of the Global Development Initiative.”

Yuqing therefore stated that their partnership action is for mutual learning among civilizations, build a platform for governance experience sharing, a China-Africa knowledge network for development and 25 centers on China and Africa studies and invite 1,000 members of African political parties to China to deepen exchanges of experience in party and state governance.

“The partnership action for trade prosperity, China have decided to give all LDCs having diplomatic relations with China, including 33 countries in Africa, zero-tariff treatment for 100 percent tariff lines, expand market access for African agricultural products, deepen cooperation with Africa in e-commerce and other areas, and enter into framework agreements on economic partnership for shared development with African countries to provide long-term, stable and predictable institutional guarantee for trade and investment between the two sides.

“Industrial Chain Cooperation, build with Africa a digital technology cooperation center and initiate 20 digital demonstration projects so as to embrace together the latest round of technological revolution and industrial transformation. And China is prepared to carry out 30 infrastructure connectivity projects in Africa, promote together high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and put in place a China-Africa network featuring land-sea links and coordinated development.

” China is ready to release the Joint Statement on Deepening Cooperation within the Framework of the Global Development Initiative with Africa, implement 1,000 “small and beautiful” livelihood projects, replenish the China-World Bank Group Partnership Facility and support Africa in hosting the 2026 Youth Olympic Games and the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.”