Wang Huiyao: How China and the West can join hands to truly help Africa

SCMP | September 23 , 2024

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From SCMP， 2024-9-23

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■ China and Western nations could adopt the third-party cooperation model to help African countries address their many challenges.

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By Wang Huiyao | Founder of the Center for China and Globalization(CCG)

 

As the world continues to wrestle with unprecedented global challenges, Africa’s development has become a focal point for international cooperation. While collaboration between Africa and China has made significant strides in recent decades, it is now time for a more inclusive approach to empowering the African continent.

The recent Forum on China-Africa Cooperation summit highlighted the strength of their relations, with China announcing a 10-point action plan to deepen its partnership with Africa. However, to truly unlock Africa’s potential, we must now expand this cooperation to more global partners, leveraging the strengths and resources of a wider range of nations and institutions.

Despite the geographical distance between China and Africa, the friendship between the two has a deep and enduring history. Since the founding of the People’s Republic of China, China has extended broad support to African countries. The Tanzania-Zambia Railway, built in the early 1970s, stands out as a significant example of this early cooperation – a project in which my father proudly participated.

Over the years, collaboration between China and Africa has transitioned beyond infrastructure to supporting African countries working to reach their national development goals. The focus has expanded to sustainable, high-quality development, including green programmes.

Since 2021, China has participated in more than 120 climate projects in Africa. Also, to ensure the continued implementation of these programmes, as of the end of 2019, China had deployed peacekeeping forces or observers to at least four African regions, reflecting a commitment to the continent’s stability and growth.

Africa, a continent with the world’s youngest population and largest number of developing countries, boasts abundant labour and rich natural resources. However, historical factors such as colonial rule have impeded Africa’s economic development.

As the world’s largest developing economy, China has engaged in broad cooperation with Africa. Now, to fully unleash Africa’s development potential and address its challenges, the participation of a broader segment of the international community is needed.

Encouragingly, some Western countries have come together to launch cooperative initiatives, such as the European Union’s Global Gateway programme and the US-led “Build Back Better World” initiative that was adopted by the Group of Seven in 2021 and rebranded as Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment a year later.

The increased attention and investment from major powers have led to diversified development initiatives and enhanced economic partnerships across African nations, catalysing growth in key sectors such as infrastructure, technology and sustainable energy. However, challenges have emerged within these international projects. Some suggest that initiatives like the Global Gateway and Build Back Better World were introduced in part to counterbalance the international influence of China’s Belt and Road Initiative in Global South countries.

In connection with these projects, political rhetoric related to competition with China has occasionally surfaced. Moreover, some Western projects emphasise their countries’ comparative advantages and values, which may not always align with the immediate developmental needs of African nations. For instance, while the Global Gateway strategy focuses on clean energy and digital industries, which are important long-term goals, it may not fully address Africa’s more pressing concerns such as industrialisation, food security and pan-African integration.

As a result, despite widespread recognition of Africa’s global importance and development potential among Western countries, the sometimes conflicting approaches and political undertones in their strategies may hinder effective cooperation and lead to inefficient resource allocation.

To truly drive African development, it is crucial for all parties involved to prioritise Africa’s actual needs and foster genuine collaboration over competition.

Fortunately, some Western countries are gradually adopting a more open attitude towards foreign aid, viewing China’s development projects in Africa more favourably and engaging in active collaboration. This growing willingness to cooperate marks a positive step towards more coordinated aid efforts that can better address Africa’s developmental challenges.

For instance, China is exploring third-party cooperation with France, encouraging companies from both countries to jointly participate in projects. This mode of cooperation has shown benefits for China, France and African nations alike. A notable example is the collaboration on the operation of the Kribi Deep Seaport in Cameroon, which is not only of economic benefit to Cameroon but also landlocked African countries including the Central African Republic and Chad.

Interestingly, Japan has emerged as another important participant in third-party market cooperation with China. The first China-Japan Third-Party Market Cooperation Forum, held in Beijing in October 2018, opened up more opportunities for businesses from both countries to collaborate in Africa. While competition between Chinese and Japanese companies in Africa exists, there is also recognition of the potential of mutually beneficial partnerships.

Multilateral institutions also play a crucial role in this collaborative approach. The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), with its diverse global membership, has established cooperative foundations with the African Development Bank as well as the World Bank. The AIIB’s involvement in projects like Egypt’s issuing of a sustainable “panda bond” demonstrates how international financial institutions can work together to support Africa’s inclusive growth and green development goals.

As we move forward, it is imperative that we build upon the strong foundation we already have in China-Africa cooperation to create a truly global partnership for African development.

By combining China’s experience, the technological experience of developed Western countries, the expertise of multilateral institutions and, most importantly, the vision and leadership of African nations themselves, we can create a more effective and sustainable model of development cooperation. This collaborative approach would not only serve Africa’s interests but also contribute to global stability and prosperity.

From SCMP， 2024-9-23