Cooperation: Trains in Nigeria are part of China’s initiatives in Africa that includes infrastructure development. (Emma Houston/Xinhua/AFP)
Amid strained ties between Africa and the Trump administration, China has announced plans to strengthen its relationship with the continent.
While the US has imposed heavy trade tariffs on African countries, focusing mainly on raw materials, China has unveiled a new economic package that includes full zero-tariff access for 100% of African imports, effective from 1 May.
As part of the “China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges”, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Africa would see many developments marking 70 years of China-Africa friendship.
Wang described the relationship as having “stood the test of changing international circumstances” and having “strong vitality”, adding that China would take fresh steps to build a community with a shared future.
“We will host multiple African leaders to strengthen mutual support as all-weather partners and write a new chapter of our shared journey,” he said.
“As part of China’s commitment to high-standard opening up, we are removing tariffs completely to boost trade, multiply benefits for the people and help Africa access the enormous opportunities of the Chinese market.”
Wang said there were nearly 600 events that would take place under the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges.
“We are always ready to work with our African brothers and sisters to draw inspiration from our civilisational heritages, forge a stronger bond between our people and carry forward our friendship for many generations to come.”
He said Chinese President Xi Jinping “still deeply values the bond with Africa”.
“He emphasises sincerity, real results, amity and good faith in working with Africa, always reminding us of our friendship and shared interests with the continent. This approach has helped to take China-Africa cooperation to new heights,” he added.
China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has involved more than 53 African countries in multibillion-rand infrastructure projects, including railways, roads, ports and energy facilities, designed to enhance connectivity and boost trade.
The projects, which exceed 12 000km of transport infrastructure, also support job creation, industrialisation and digital development, acting as an alternative and efficient source of development.
The BRI, also known as the One Belt One Road and sometimes called the New Silk Road, is a global infrastructure and economic development strategy of the government of China. The initiative was launched by Chinese Communist Party general secretary Xi while visiting Kazakhstan in 2013.
Africa, rich in minerals such as oil, diamonds, platinum, gold, uranium and copper, represented about 20% of the world’s population but less than 3% of global GDP, with only 6% of global energy resources, said André Thomashausen, professor emeritus at the University of South Africa.
He said China’s “win-win approach” had helped rebuild essential transport, administrative, energy and communication infrastructure while fostering friendly relations.
“The Chinese win-win approach to investments in Africa, has helped significantly to rebuild most essential transport, administrative, energy and communication infrastructures on the continent,” he said. “Unlike the European Union and the USA, China does not tie investments to political conditionalities. This way friendly relations have been able to grow steadily.”
David Monyae, an associate professor of political science and international relations at the University of Johannesburg, concurred. “The China–Africa relationship is often described as one that has ‘stood the test of time’ and this characterisation is not merely rhetorical.
“Its foundations date back to the anti-colonial struggles of the 1950s and 1960s, when China offered diplomatic and material support to African liberation movements and newly independent states.”
He said one of the most symbolic examples of the early solidarity was the construction of the Tanzania–Zambia Railway in the 1970s, which was financed and built with Chinese assistance at a time when many Western institutions were reluctant to support the project.
Since then, Monyae said, the relationship had evolved but maintained a strong element of political trust. In the post–Cold War era, cooperation was institutionalised through the Forum on China–Africa Cooperation (Focac), established in 2000.
“Through Focac, China and African countries have developed structured frameworks for cooperation, covering infrastructure development, trade, industrialisation, public health and capacity-building.”
Importantly, the relationship had continued to deepen despite shifts in the international system, including the rise of geopolitical competition and global economic turbulence.
“China has remained Africa’s largest trading partner for more than a decade, while Chinese investment has played a visible role in addressing the continent’s infrastructure deficit,” Monyae said.
On why the same could not be said for US-Africa relations, Monyae said the durability of China’s engagement with Africa was rooted in several key principles.
“Underpinned by the principle of South–South cooperation, China presents its relationship with Africa as a partnership among developing countries with shared historical experiences of colonialism, underdevelopment and marginalisation within the global system.”
On the principle of non-interference in domestic affairs, he said that while the principle was sometimes debated, it had nevertheless been attractive to many African governments, wary of conditionalities often associated with Western aid and development finance.
“In emphasising development and infrastructure, Chinese cooperation has focused heavily on roads, railways, ports, power stations and industrial parks — areas that African leaders have long identified as critical for economic transformation. In this sense, China’s engagement has been closely aligned with Africa’s developmental priorities.
“The institutional consistency provided by Focac has ensured continuity in engagement through regular summits, action plans and concrete implementation mechanisms.”
Monyae said the Middle East crisis underscored the broader transformation of the international system toward a more multipolar order.
“For many countries in Africa, the crisis highlights the risks associated with over-dependence on any single global power or geopolitical bloc. In this context, Africa’s partnerships with countries such as China can be understood as part of a broader strategy of diversification.
“Rather than aligning exclusively with one camp, many African states are seeking to expand their diplomatic and economic options. For its part, China has attempted to position itself as a supporter of multilateralism and peaceful resolution of conflicts.”
Monyae said that while its influence in the Middle East was evolving, Beijing had increasingly sought to play a diplomatic role, emphasising dialogue and negotiation.
“Ultimately, the China–Africa relationship should be viewed within the broader context of the rising Global South. As emerging economies and developing regions seek a stronger voice in global governance, partnerships like those between China and Africa are likely to remain central to shaping the contours of a more multipolar international order.”
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