Role model

Dynamic Africa-China cooperation sets a good example for expanding Global South cooperation

China's growing commitment to engagement with Africa has been demonstrated by Foreign Minister Wang Yi's visit to Egypt, Tunisia, Togo and Cote d'Ivoire, which marked the 34th consecutive year in which a Chinese foreign minister has made Africa the first official overseas destination for the year.

Based on joint statements made during his visits, his trip was highly constructive and injected further momentum into the traditional Africa-China friendship, solidarity and cooperation, as well as contributing to efforts to end the conflicts in the Middle East.

The essence of Africa-China cooperation is mutual benefit and common development. China's cooperation has never been and will never be mere talk. While bringing tangible benefits to the African and Chinese peoples, Africa and China cooperation has also created more favorable conditions for international cooperation. This must be seen in the context of today's increasing and complex challenges, and as a result, China and African countries are striving to strengthen unity and cooperation with other members of the Global South, with the view to jointly tackling challenges and pushing for a more equal, just and rational international order.

The Global South is home to over 6 billion people representing 85 percent of the world's population and nearly 39 percent of global GDP.They are generally characterized as poorer countries and suffering harsher living conditions than the countries of the Global North.

As a developing country, China is naturally a member and an increasing political and economic force in the Global South. Through thick and thin, China has consistently stood in solidarity with fellow developing countries and it continues to safeguard the shared interests of developing countries.

What is also of significance, according to the Brookings Institute in the US, is that trade within the Global South (so called South-South trade) recently surpassed North-North trade for the first time, and today 35 percent of global trade is accounted for by South-South trade, and just 25 percent by North-North trade. Furthermore, Global South trade tends to be "more diversified, better at inducing technology transfer, and more pro-developmental than trade between developing and high-income countries".

The achievements of China's social and economic transformation have inspired many countries in Africa to learn and borrow best practices from China. It is also a fact that the Global South countries are predominantly highly receptive to the Chinese development experience which serves as a model for many developing countries.

The growing concrete cooperation between Africa and China in achieving their respective development goals is having an increasing beneficial impact on the building of a fair and reasonable international order, maintaining a peaceful and secure global environment as well as building an open and inclusive world economy. There is thus a strong convergence of interests between the two sides to collaborate on issues of common interest, whether at the bilateral, regional or multilateral level.

In fact, Africa and China have agreed to firmly oppose the vestiges of colonialism and hegemony in all forms, and to support each other in safeguarding core interests and upholding the legitimate demands of developing countries. Furthermore, they advocate dialogues to bridge differences and are cooperating to resolve international and regional issues, thereby safeguarding world peace and stability. This constructive approach augers well not only for Africa and China, but also the entire Global South.

The growing Global South dominance in global trade is not only a result of China's impressive economic achievements, but also a vindication of the massive potential of the African continent's economy.

With Africa's population expected to double by 2050, from its current 1.4 billion to 2.8 billion. Africa's growing and young consumer market may, among others, be the main driver of global demand for consumer, education, health, technological, and infrastructural products and services.

Despite many headwinds, trade between Africa and China jumped to a record level of $282 billion last year, increasing 11.1 percent from a year earlier, as a result of Beijing's recent push to boost imports from Africa.

Chinese companies have growing confidence in the African market. More than 3,000 Chinese enterprises have invested in Africa, of which over 70 percent are private enterprises, the mainstay of Chinese investment in Africa in 2022. Given the accelerated progress with the establishment of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Chinese companies will find new opportunities as they explore and invest more in the African market and add fresh dynamism to high-quality cooperation between Africa and China. The AfCFTA will create a single, continent-wide market that unites 54 countries with a combined GDP of $3.4 trillion. The World Bank recently described it as a "game changer".

China and many other countries from the Global South are fully aware of these positive dynamics and therefore are keen to prioritize the leveraging of the full developmental potential of intra-African trade through the rapid implementation of the AfCFTA. Africa has therefore warmly welcomed China's role in actively participating in the development of the AfCFTA and providing continued support to the secretariat of the AfCFTA toward the full implementation of this important initiative which will boost global trade and also create economic opportunities for the Global South.

Africa has accepted and stands ready to work with China and other developing countries to jointly implement China's Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative and Global Civilization Initiative, among others, which have enjoyed significant political buy-in around the world, an indication of increasing confidence in China's leadership in the Global South.

These initiatives are aimed at strengthening global economic development, practicing true multilateralism, increasing the representation and voice of the Global South in global governance and safeguarding the shared interests of developing countries in the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

A further development of major significance in the Global South is the role of the expanding BRICS partnership of emerging economies and developing countries. With its diverse strengths and wide perspectives, BRICS will continue to play a leading role in the creation of a multipolar world order in which the developing countries will have equal participation. BRICS is fast evolving into a champion of the needs and concerns of the peoples of Africa and the Global South.

The Africa-China partnership is a mutually beneficial endeavor with huge potential for further growth and there is no doubt that it will continue to evolve into a model of success for expanding Global South cooperation. When China-Africa cooperation thrives, Global South cooperation will also flourish.

Building on the solid foundation of a shared global political vision and accelerating economic cooperation toward an Africa-China community with a shared future, the strengthening of the Africa-China partnership also creates a strategic opportunity to cement a new stepped-up form of Global South collaboration which provides hope and inspiration for the developing world.

The author is a senior research fellow at the Institute of African Studies at Zhejiang Normal University and a former senior diplomat in the South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation. The author contributed this article to China Watch, a think tank powered by China Daily. The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.

Contact the editor at editor@chinawatch.cn