A New Era in China-Africa Friendly Cooperation: New Achievements, New Opportunities, New Vision

China is the world’s largest development country and second largest economy. Africa is the continent with the most developing countries and one of the fastest growing and most promising regions in the world. Although China and Africa are far apart geographically, friendship between the two regions traces its origins back to ancient times. Having gone through thick and thin together, China and Africa have always been a community with a shared future. Shared historical experiences and struggles have formed a profound friendship between the Chinese and African people. This friendship has in turn become a valuable asset that has been passed down to the present day. The entry of socialism with Chinese characteristics into the new era will have a major impact on the world and bring new historical opportunities for African development and for friendly China-Africa cooperation. At the global level, the general trend of economic globalization is irreversible, world economic recovery and development is going well, and the international community is paying increasing attention to Africa. These factors provide a favorable international environment for China-Africa friendly cooperation. From China’s perspective, our country, which is entering a new era, will continue to expand and deepen its open policies, to focus on promoting industrial transformation and upgrading, to vigorously develop a digital economy, to lead in establishing new international financial institutions and innovative financing models, to actively promote international trilateral cooperation, and to promote the international use of the Chinese Yuan. By so doing, China will bring new opportunities and new impetus to China-Africa friendly cooperation. From the perspective of Africa, the political, economic and security situation in Africa has generally improved in recent years, and the development outlook is promising, which provides good conditions for more practical and higher-level pragmatic cooperation between China and Africa. Meanwhile, we must see that China-Africa cooperation will not be smooth; it still faces many problems and challenges. It is precisely because of this that China and Africa must stick to the concept of ‘’genuine, sincere, friendly and honest’’ cooperation and the principle of equality and mutual benefit, aiming to work together to build a community of a shared future for both China-Africa and for mankind, comprehensively strengthening and deepening cooperation, meeting challenges together, and achieving shared development.

Depute director, Researcher, and Doctoral supervisor of the Institute of West-Asian and African Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. Ph. D in Law, executive researcher of the research project ''Ethnic Issue and African Development'' supported by the Institute of West-Asian and African Studies of the CASS.