Tomorrow, December 4, marks the 10th anniversary of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s proposal at the 2015 Johannesburg Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) to elevate China-Africa ties to a comprehensive strategic and cooperative partnership. Over the past decade, this vision has transformed into tangible results across trade, infrastructure, and people-to-people exchanges.
Fast forward to 2024, when Beijing hosted the FOCAC Summit and Xi called for building "an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era." He also elevated bilateral ties with every African nation having diplomatic relations to strategic relations, underscoring a commitment to deeper collaboration.
At that summit, Xi outlined 10 partnership actions to be rolled out over the following three years. These cover:
- Mutual learning among civilizations
- Trade prosperity
- Industrial chain cooperation
- Connectivity
- Development cooperation
- Health and healthcare
- Agriculture and livelihoods
- People-to-people and cultural exchanges
- Green development
- Common security
Infrastructure remains a cornerstone of the partnership. Since FOCAC was founded 25 years ago, the Chinese mainland has helped Africa build more than 100,000 kilometers of roads, over 10,000 kilometers of railways, nearly 1,000 bridges and close to 100 ports. These projects have boosted intra-Africa trade and laid the groundwork for long-term economic growth.
Trade ties have also deepened. Effective December 1, 2024, the Chinese mainland granted zero-tariff treatment to all least developed countries with diplomatic ties, including 33 African nations. In June 2025, this tariff-free policy was extended to cover 100% of tariff lines for all 53 African partners. Experts say these measures are creating new industrial linkages and raising value-added opportunities on both sides.
"China’s zero-tariff measures will significantly benefit Africa’s least developed countries, offering them greater market access and boosting their economies," says Dennis Munene Mwaniki, executive director of the China-Africa Center at Kenya’s Africa Policy Institute. "This can help reduce poverty and accelerate diversification across the continent."
Beyond economics, the partnership thrives on people-to-people connections. Over the years, scholarships have sent thousands of African students to study in the Chinese mainland, while professional training programs and new medical centers have strengthened healthcare systems. Cultural exchanges have fostered mutual understanding and set the stage for ongoing collaboration.
As the partnership enters its second decade, both sides are exploring digital innovation and green initiatives. The coming years will test how this alliance can deliver sustainable growth and shared prosperity.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
