This article published in the editorial section of The Hindu explains how Africa has become a key part of China’s foreign policy, especially through a platform called the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). For over 24 years, FOCAC has served as a bridge between China and Africa, helping both sides talk, plan, and collaborate on various issues. Although there have been some concerns and disagreements between African countries and China, many African nations now see the benefits of working closely with China.

Growth of China-Africa Relations

China started building strong relationships with Africa in the late 20th century. This partnership became more formal with the creation of FOCAC in 2000. Since then, there have been several meetings between China and African nations to discuss ways they can cooperate. These meetings have taken place mostly in Beijing, but also in countries like Ethiopia, Egypt, South Africa, and Senegal.

The most recent FOCAC summit was held in Beijing, and it showed that China remains focused on its long-term goals in Africa. China’s main interests in Africa are economic, political, and strategic. It believes that Africa will play an important role in the future of the world, and China wants African countries to stand by its side in shaping that future.

Main Results from the Latest FOCAC Summit

The article highlights five key outcomes from the latest FOCAC summit:

1. Shared Future for China and Africa: One of the main ideas discussed at the summit was building a stronger China-Africa partnership, with both sides working together for development. China and Africa want to modernize, reduce poverty, and grow their economies, but they also want to keep their unique cultures. China has promised to support Africa’s growing role in global decision-making. For example, China helped the African Union (AU) gain membership in the G20, a group of major economies.
2. Economic Cooperation: China and Africa want to promote economic globalization that benefits both sides. They aim to make the global economy more inclusive and fair for African countries. One major step taken was China’s decision to give 33 of Africa’s least-developed countries zero-tariff access to its markets. This means products from these countries can be sold in China without paying taxes, which could greatly help their economies.
3. Development Partnership: The two sides agreed to align their development goals. This includes China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Africa’s Agenda 2063, and the United Nations’ sustainable development goals. China expressed support for the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), a major agreement that aims to boost trade within Africa. China is ready to sign a framework agreement to support Africa’s development efforts.
4. Improving Security: China wants to help Africa with its security challenges. The summit highlighted China’s support for peacekeeping efforts, fighting terrorism, and improving maritime security. Both sides also stressed the importance of encouraging dialogue between cultures to promote peace and understanding.
5. Next FOCAC Summit: The next FOCAC summit will be held in the Republic of the Congo in 2027. This shows that the China-Africa partnership will continue to grow in the coming years.

China’s Financial Offer to Africa

During the summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced that China would provide $51 billion in loans, grants, and investments to help African countries with various projects. He also outlined ten areas for cooperation, including trade, green development, and health. China also committed to providing 60,000 training opportunities for African women and youth, as well as inviting 1,000 African political leaders to visit China. China will also help train 7,000 African military and police personnel.

One of the most significant steps taken by China is offering zero-tariff treatment to 100% of tariff lines for the 33 least-developed African countries. This could potentially increase African exports to China, helping to strengthen their economies.

Different Perspectives on China-Africa Relations

The article presents three different viewpoints on the growing relationship between China and Africa:

1. China’s Perspective: China believes that it is a natural partner for Africa because both are developing regions. China is the world’s largest developing country, and Africa is home to the most developing countries. China sees its own path to development, which is different from the Western model, as being more relevant for African nations. Many African leaders are attracted to China’s success in modernizing its economy, and they believe China’s approach offers an alternative to the Western way.
2. Africa’s Perspective: African countries recognize the benefits of working with China, but some are cautious about the relationship. Many feel that China dominates the partnership and makes most of the decisions. According to Paul Nantulya from the Africa Center for Strategic Studies, the relationship is still shaped by a “donor-recipient” dynamic, where China gives, and African countries receive. This can sometimes make African nations feel they are not equal partners in the relationship.
3. Western Perspective: In the West, some see China’s growing influence in Africa as part of a broader strategy to challenge the United States. According to Michael Schuman of the Atlantic Council, China’s actions in Africa are motivated by Xi Jinping’s anti-American stance. He believes China is trying to build alliances in the developing world to counter U.S. influence. However, not all Westerners share this view. A European foreign minister, for example, has said that China’s role in Africa should not be seen as entirely negative. While China is expanding its influence, it is also contributing positively to areas like health and education.

What India Can Learn from China-Africa Relations

The article also discusses what India can learn from China’s growing relationship with Africa. There are three key lessons for India:

1. Consistent Engagement: India needs to stay engaged with Africa at the highest levels of diplomacy. India has hosted three India-Africa Forum Summits, but the last one was in 2015. Since then, India has not held any major meetings with African leaders, while China has been strengthening its ties with African countries through FOCAC.
2. Financial Support: India’s close ties with Africa need to be backed by strong financial support. If India wants to stay competitive and build a deeper partnership with Africa, it needs to invest more money in joint projects and initiatives.
3. Reassessing Africa’s Importance: India needs to reconsider how important Africa is in its foreign policy. If Africa is truly a priority for India, then the government needs to take action and increase both diplomatic and business efforts to engage with African countries.

In conclusion, the article explains how China has made significant progress in building strong ties with Africa. While this relationship brings many benefits to African countries, they also need to carefully assess the potential risks. Meanwhile, other countries like India should step up their efforts to engage with Africa to ensure they don’t fall behind.

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