GiventheimpressivemomentumgeneratedbytheJohannesburgSummitoftheForumonChina-AfricaCooperation(FOCAC)inSouthAfricainDecember2015,theonlywaytogoatthe2018BeijingSummitisup.Manyofthecooperationplansfirstagreedonthreeyearsagohavebeenimplemented,andithassetafirm,optimisticfoundationfromwhichtocontinuetheimpetusLaunchoftheofficialwebsiteofFOCACBeijingSummitonAugust8LIXINChineseMinisterofForeignAffairsWangYisaidthisyear鈥檚summitwillelevateChina-AfricaComprehensiveStrategicandCooperativePartnershiptoanewlevel.InlightofchangestakingplacegloballyandthenewdemandforgrowthontheAfricancontinent,WangsaidthesummitwillunveilnewmeasurestostepupChina-Africacooperationinallaspects.
AsakeyplatformforthecollectivedialogueandcooperationbetweenChinaandAfricancountries,WangbelievesFOCAChasalreadybecomeamodelofSouth-SouthcooperationandabannerofinternationalcooperationwithAfrica.
AfricanambassadorssharethisoptimismaboutthefutureprogressofFOCAC.SouthAfricanAmbassadortoChinaDolanaMsimangsaidthatChinahasnowmadeaverybigfootprintonthecontinent,particularlywithregardstoinfrastructuredevelopment,agricultureandmanufacturing,addingthatinalmosteverycornerofAfricathesignificanceofChinahasbeenfeltverypositively.
OneofthosecornersisNigeria,whereCharlesOnunaiju,DirectoroftheCenterforChinaStudiesinAbuja,believesFOCACmustcontinuefocusingonthecorematerialneedstoputAfricaonasteadyandinclusivedevelopmenttrajectory.
鈥淲hereAfrica鈥檚formercolonialmastersandtheirpartnersintheWestviewAfrica鈥檚securitychallengesasobstaclestodevelopment,China,throughthemechanismofFOCAC,seeseconomicdevelopmentasthepracticalwaytoovercomethesecuritychallengeandsecurepeace,stabilityandprosperityinAfrica,鈥漵aidOnunaiju.
OvercomingthesechallengesispartofthegreatsymbiosisbetweenFOCACandtheAfricanUnion鈥檚Agenda2063,whichhastheprimeobjectivetocreateaprosperousAfricabasedoninclusivegrowthandsustainablepeople-drivendevelopment.BenardAyieko,aKenyaneconomist,consultantandaregionalcommentatorontradeandinvestment,thinkstheFOCACBeijingSummitoffersAfricancountriesanopportunitytonotonlybroadenthescopeandbenefitsofAgenda2063,buttoalsoproposenewmeasurestodealwithissuesofindustrialization,tradeimbalanceandemploymentcreationfortheyouth.
鈥淭heThirdFOCACSummitinBeijinginSeptemberthisyearoffersAfricancountriesagreatopportunitytostrengthencooperationwithChinaaimedatrealizingaspirationsoftheAgenda2063inlightoftheevolvinggeopoliticaldynamics,鈥漢esaid.
Itistheseaspirations,sovitaltotheblueprintofthecontinent鈥檚developmentaldirection,thatformpartofDaiBing鈥檚visionfortheFOCACBeijingSummit.Dai,whoissecretarygeneraloftheFOCACChineseFollow-upCommitteeanddirectorgeneraloftheDepartmentofAfricanAffairsofMinistryofForeignAffairsofChina,hastabledfiveimportantgoalsthesummitshouldsetouttoachieve.
Theseare:promotingtraditionalChina-Africafriendship,guidingthefuturedevelopmentdirectionofChina-Africarelations,transformingandupgradingChina-Africaeconomicandtradecooperation,encouragingmorecoordinativeandbalancedChina-AfricacooperationandpromotingSouth-Southcooperationanddevelopment.
TheSouth-Southdevelopment,alsomentionedbyForeignMinisterWang,hasbeenspokenofatgreatlengthduringtheleaduptothissummit.ItiswithinthisframeworkthatCaiLihua,DeputySecretaryGeneraloftheChinaAfricaJointChamberofCommerceandIndustry,saidtheFOCACBeijingSummitwillfurtherpromoteprivateChinesecompaniestoparticipateinChina-Africatradeandinvestment.Heseesthisopeningupbiggerrolesforprivatecompanies.
鈥淓nteringthe21stcentury,Africancountrieshavebeenmoreactivelypromotingindustrialization.Duringtheprocess,moreandmoreAfricancountriesregardindustrialparksasanimportantmodeltoattractforeigninvestmentandpromoteindustrialization,鈥漢esaid.
AccordingtoCai,withthedevelopmentofevenclosereconomicandtraderelationsbetweenChinaandAfrica,themainplayersofbilateraleconomicandtradecooperationhavechangedwithmoreflexibleandpragmaticprivatecompaniesplayinganincreasinglyimportantrole.
ThebarwassetsohighattheJohannesburgSummitandFOCACrelatedpartieshavevoicedoverwhelmingenthusiasmtomaketheBeijingSummitanevenmoreambitiousevent.AlleyeswillthereforebefocusedonChina鈥檚capitalinearlySeptembertoseejustwhattheunveilingofnewmeasurestostepupChina-Africacooperationinallaspects,asmentionedbyWang,willactuallybe.
Commentsto
2015-17TradeDataBetweenChinaandAfrica
InvestmentCommitmentLevelofChineseFirmsinAfrica(CommitmentSpectrum,%ofFirms)
NOTE:Figuresmaynotaddupduetoroundingoff.SOURCE:McKinseyfieldsurveyofChinesefirmsineightAfricancountries;RegistrationlistsofChinesefirmswithoverseasinvestments,MinistryofCommerceofChina,2015
ChineseFirmsOverwhelminglyEmployLocalsinAfrica(%ofemployeeswhoarelocal)
SOURCE:McKinseyfieldsurveyofChinesefirmsineightAfricancountries,November2016-March2017
ChineseFirmsinAfricanMarketbySector
1MarketsharebasedonaveragerevenuesforservicefirmsfromMcKinsey鈥檚surveycomparedagainstrevenuesfromservicefirmsinAfrica.2MarketsharebasedonimportsandexportsbetweenAfricaandChinain2015asreportedontheITCTradeMap.3Includesagriculture,utilities,oilandgas,andmining.MarketsharebasedonaveragerevenuesfromMcKinsey鈥檚surveyagainstAfricarevenuesfromsuchfirms.SOURCE:McKinseyfieldsurveyofChinesefirmsineightAfricancountries,November2016-March2017;Bilateraltradedatabase,InternationalTradeCenterTradeMap,2015;LionsontheMoveII:RealizingthePotentialofAfrica鈥檚Economies,McKinseyGlobalInstitute,2016