President of China Xi Jinping (R) and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa (L) attend the China-Africa Leaders’ Roundtable Dialogue on the last day of the 2023 BRICS Summit in Johannesburg on August 24, 2023.
Beijing will this week host the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), making it the 9th time the Asian country will be gathering leaders to discuss the plans for development, mainly centred on infrastructure.
The Summit to be held from September four to six comes at a time of changing geopolitics, and even China’s own re-orientation on how it wants to work with Africa for development. Those changes have been gradual. The forum, initiated in 2000, has become a focal point of dialogue and exchanges between African and Chinese leaders with the aim of generating durable economic development outcomes for both sides.
Previous FOCAC saw African countries bag development support commitments from China spanning funding for infrastructure development, trade facilitation, construction services, investments, as well as cultural exchange programmes.
In 2023, China's direct investment stock in Africa was valued at $40 billion, making Beijing the top source of foreign direct investment for the continent, according to China’s Ministry of Commerce.
Under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Chinese companies have also constructed railways, roads, ports, energy, water, agriculture, health and digital connectivity projects in Africa leading to both economic and export diversifications.
In terms of trade, China displaced the United States to become Africa’s largest trading partner in 2009, and Beijing has held tight on that position to date. Over 20 per cent of Africa’s exports now go to China while 16 per cent of the continent’s imports are sourced from the Chinese market. Total trade volume between the two sides stood at $282 billion in 2023, according to the International Monetary Fund.
Efforts by Beijing to solidify comprehensive ties with Africa appears to be winning hearts and minds beyond governmental relations, as seen in various people-to-people exchanges over these years. A recent Gallup poll indicated that China has outpaced the United States to become the most influential power in Africa. Beijing’s approval among Africans rose by six percentage points from 52 per cent in 2022 to 58 per cent in 2023. On the other hand, Washington’s popularity fell from 59 per cent in 2022 to 56 per cent last year.
China’s success in courting developing countries, most of which are based in Africa, has attracted much criticism by Western countries. They accuse Beijing of using its economic clout to buy political subservience and economic dependency from the poor. China, and its African partners, have repeatedly rubbished the claims.
The game is bigger though, and the jostling for influence in Africa pitting traditional partners such as the United States and European allies against China is playing out in many fronts. China’s approach has largely been defined by a foreign policy that emphasises equality, common development and non-interference in internal affairs of partner countries.
Western countries led by the United States, on the other hand, have been heavy on democracy promotion, hard security considerations and humanitarian support. Because of China’s growing visibility in Africa, the US in 2022 released a new strategy towards the continent, anchored on four objectives namely openness, democracy promotion, economic prosperity and climate adaption.
President Biden says the US is “all in when it comes to Africa.” The assertions contrast with the reality given that the US leader did not visit the continent during his presidency, despite promising to do so in 2023.
This year’s FOCAC takes place on the backdrop of a number of new developments both in China and Africa. Many of the leading African economies such as Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, and Egypt have all had presidential elections since the last Ministerial Conference of FOCAC. China also recently held its third plenum, setting forward a number of reforms that will define its domestic and foreign engagements for years to come.
As African leaders convene in Beijing for FOCAC, every deal announced will be closely watched in western capitals. This has previously worked in favour of the continent. The China-led infrastructure development has given rise to a number of partnership overtures by the West as seen from initiatives such as European Union fronted Global Gateway; the G7’s Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment; the US proposed Build Back Better World and lately, the Lobito Corridor Project which brings together US and EU partners.
Although many of the BRI alternatives are yet to deliver any serious projects, their implementation will lead to a net good for Africa and common prosperity for humanity as envisaged under the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
Africa’s growth demands are indeed too many to be met by one partner and therefore, there is enough headroom for all development partners to play a role. Yet, this requires strategic synergy and priority on the side of Africa. Development cooperation between Africa and China has gained momentum and delivered the most compared to any other Africa+1 partnership in the last two decades.
Africa should present solid proposals that can drive socioeconomic transformation through industrialisation, trade, agricultural productivity, green energy transition, talent cultivation and civilisational amity.
On climate change mitigation and adaptation, for instance, China is the largest source of technologies needed to tap green energy while Africa has abundant renewables such as solar, wind and critical minerals. Same can be said of trade and industrialisation. China is the largest consumer market in the world while Africa is today the largest free trade area by number of member States after World Trade Organisation. China is currently Africa’s largest trade partner, while Africa has a youthful and skilled population presenting huge opportunities to countervail penury.
FOCAC presents a chance for Africa and China to chart a new partnership path; discount what has not worked before while amplifying progressive frameworks such as public private partnerships.
Africa shouldn’t be shy about the success of its partnership with China, neither should the continent be boxed in an either-or-corner when it comes to choosing international development partners.
Dr Adhere is a scholar of international relations. X: @Cavinceworld
