Mikatekiso Kubayi
Relations between China and Africa, particularly trade relations, are centuries old. But much of the discourse on contemporary China-Africa relations focuses on the recent history of political struggles for independence and anti-colonial efforts, which is a mainstream in understanding today's relations. Both parties have long histories of struggle for development, and have endured long periods of humiliation under colonialism.
Some argue that the size of China’s economy in the late 1970s was as small as that of some poorer economies in Africa today. Both China and Africa have come a long way in their efforts towards development. This history of relations endures. In August 2012, a statement of the AU said the following.
“The FOCAC is a strong partnership, which has gestated over a long period of time. It is doing very well and has the potential of bringing various advantages to the two sides. In many areas, the partnership has delivered some concrete outcomes that are beneficial to Africa although Africa needs to utilize the partnership to the fullest in terms of the potential of the available market and the business opportunities. There is also need to align the partnership to the strategic objectives of the African Union. The magnificent new AU Conference and Office Complex built by the Chinese government free of charge to the AU and commissioned in January 2012, is testimony to the real value this partnership brings to Africa.”
There is much debate about what China wants in Africa, while some insist that Africa wants to develop its relations with China. But history and an eye on the future inform the choices both parties make today. Indeed, the relationship has endured and must be aligned to AU objectives. The African Union in May 2013 affirmed a ‘new path’ for African development during its Golden Jubilee celebrations. To this end, Africa made clear its aspirations and intentions to pursue its renaissance contained in “Agenda 2063: the Africa We Want" document. In it are a list of 15 flagship projects it believes will help Africa embark on the path of development, enter a new era of peace and prosperity, and take its rightful place among global actors in joint action for the advancement of the interests of humanity.
For this reason, Africa has chosen to work with its partners and friends in the international community to form common ideas and taken actions for achieving the goals of Agenda 2063. Thirteen years ago, in October 2000, China and Africa established a forum for cooperation and mutual development. This forum has so far enjoyed posterity on the back of values and virtues etched in their long civilisational evolution. These include among others, solidarity, equality, mutual respect among other virtues that continue to agitate for South-South cooperation.
Since its establishment, FOCAC has witnessed the significant growth in trade and investment between the two parties. In this respect, the joint statement of the coordinator’s meeting says the following, “Both the Chinese and African sides highly acclaimed the outcomes of the Eighth FOCAC Ministerial Conference held in Dakar, the capital of Senegal, from 29 to 30 November 2021, and applauded “the spirit of China-Africa friendship and cooperation” and the building of a China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era put forward by President Xi Jinping of the People’s Republic of China at the opening ceremony, and the nine programs of China-Africa cooperation that he announced.
Both sides applauded the roadmap for strengthening China-Africa relationship in the spirit of friendship, unity, trust, and respect put forward by President Macky Sall of the Republic of Senegal, co-chair of FOCAC. Recalling the Dakar Declaration, the China-Africa Cooperation Vision 2035, the Declaration on China-Africa Cooperation on Combating Climate Change, and the Dakar Action Plan (2022-2024) adopted at the ministerial conference, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to jointly implementing the outcomes of the ministerial conference to promote new and greater achievements in China-Africa cooperation and build a China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era.”
While one would not characterise the relationship as China’s takeover of Africa, Martin Armstrong wrote an article in January 2022, which highlights the growth and significance of the two-way trade. According to him, China has been the biggest source of FDIs for Africa in the period. This is significant, particularly in the context of the debates on the so-called "debt trap". At the coordinator’s meeting, China announced the decision to waive interest free loans for 17 African countries.
The “following-up” mechanism of FOCAC shows its value. In August 2022, the meeting on the implementation of the follow-up actions of the Eighth Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) was held, which according to its participants was a resounding success. Indeed the need for agency in following up is important and well captured in the joint statement of the coordinators meeting. Matters requiring follow-up actions include the Dakar Declaration, the Declaration of China-Africa Cooperation on Combating Climate Change and the Dakar Action Plan (2022-2024). It is useful to reflect briefly on what these declarations entail.
1. The Dakar Declaration
The Dakar declaration of the Eighth Ministerial Conference of the FOCAC took place against the backdrop of a vicious pandemic that has since devastated many economies globally, destroyed livelihoods and cost just over 6.4 million lives. But this was not the most disappointing consequence of the pandemic. The minimal global solidarity exemplified in behaviors of vaccine nationalism and hoarding, despite the valiant efforts of the World Health Organisation (WHO), United Nations (UN), the AU, and China, were a key feature of the times. In the earlier period of the pandemic, Sinopharm, Sinovac and Sputnik V were the dominant vaccine brands delivered and used on the continent. Today, Sinopharm and Sinovac vaccines constitute 23.4% of vaccines delivered and administered. It is therefore not surprising that the parties would emphasise the deepening of cooperation and the strengthening of FOCAC among other important highlights of the Dakar Declaration.
Although not an exhaustive list, others include the following,
a) The development of China-Africa relations into a ‘comprehensive strategic and cooperative partnership’.
b) The upholding of the “principles of no harm and harmony, sincerity, equality, mutual respect and benefit, non-interference in internal affairs and non-imposition of own will” on others among some of the well-defined virtues of the relationship.
c) ‘Firm support in upholding territorial integrity, sovereignty, security, and development interests’... African members of FOCAC reaffirmed their commitment to the One-China principle.
d) ‘Commitment to multilateralism and support for the UNs undertakings
e) Support for the Global Development Initiative (GDI) proposed by China
f) Strengthening cooperation in the digital economy
g) ‘Expansion’ of investment in Africa, support for localisation of production, support for the ‘Silencing the Guns’, and support for Africans to occupy leadership positions in multilateral bodies
2. The Declaration of China-Africa Cooperation on Combating Climate Change This is yet another area of cooperation that holds significant potential if implemented well. It is estimated that by 2050, the population of Africa will reach 2.5 billion, and the annual infrastructure gap will exceed 108 billion dollars. For such a populous country, the burden of providing funds for energy transition from fossil fuels to the level that western economies enjoy today is significantly hefty.
3. The Dakar Action Plan (2022-2024)
The Dakar Action Plan (2022-2024) is an exhaustive action plan that covers broad areas of cooperation, each with several actionable points. These areas of cooperation include, Political Cooperation, International Cooperation, Economic Cooperation, Social Development Cooperation, Cultural and People to People Exchanges, Green Development, Experience Sharing on State Governance, FOCAC Institutional Development and Peace and Security cooperation.
This is a significant project undertaken by the two sides. It has its complexities and challenges as any other human endeavours. Both parties have been explicit in articulating these. Some of the major challenges stem from the nature of the global political governance as well as global economic and financial governance architectures. Mindful of some of these challenges, State Councillor Wang Yi maid the following concluding remarks in his address to the coordinator’s meeting,
“The FOCAC mechanism has travelled a journey of over two decades and has played a positive role in charting a right course for international cooperation with Africa. Under the new circumstances, China will continue to work with African friends to enhance the institution-building of FOCAC to jointly boost its well-established credentials. We will actively consider institutionalizing the coordinators’ meeting and work to mobilize more resources in favour of Africa. With our joint efforts, FOCAC will continue to be a standard-bearer of cooperation with Africa.”
While this may not be the end of the story, attention is again drawn to the need to implement agreed upon actions and what needs to be done to overcome obstacles. Built into FOCAC is the agreed upon follow-up mechanism. This could potentially enhance support for the institutionalization of FOCAC. In December 2015, the AU statement on FOCAC said that,
“Held under the theme: "Africa-China Progressing Together: Win-Win Cooperation for Common Development”, the 2nd FOCAC Summit is expected to open new avenues of cooperation and new opportunities for both China and Africa, which will elevate the relationship to a new level that would have a beneficial impact and give impetus to Africa's development, in line with the AU's Agenda 2063, including its the First Ten-Year Implementation Plan.”
The 13th National People’s Congress of China approved its 14 th Five-year plan (2021-2025) with long-term objectives and planning up to 2035. Its underlying intention is to foster development planning for China based on its domestic conditions, and to influence how it projects its foreign policy as a reflection of domestic policy. It has adopted a “dual circulation” policy by developing its domestic market while fully driving ahead in the global markets and value chains. In such a way, the two complement each other. Development, poverty eradication, a green economy, territorial integrity and security, and technological progress are key and common goals shared with the AU agenda 2063.
At this point, African institutions need to be in their best condition. It needs to be so in this journey between “what is” and “what must be”. China and other leading economies are planning long-term strategies for their own sustained efforts towards the advancement of their development. There is much of this experience to share on this. This element of shared governance experiences agreed upon in the Dakar Action Plan (2022-2024) is one that deserves to be considered at individual state level. Africa has defined its own space and role, and has made plans for it. If the goals of the Agenda 2063 are achieved, then there will be a real chance of averting crisis, such as a growing global frustration with states’ inability to address all citizen concerns satisfactorily, and Africa can potentially achieve much more with its younger population and wealth of minerals that will provide power for future technologies.
Perhaps the institutionalisation of FOCAC as proposed by State Councillor Wang Yi is the best way to promote this shared learning and capacity building. After all, China’s success in lifting hundreds of million out of poverty in a short space of time while attaining scientific feats is something that Africa would like to attain for itself by 2063. Indeed there is much that South-South cooperation, particularly FOCAC, can achieve for populations and the collective advancement of the interests of humanity. However, this requires sustained effort, institutions, perseverance and courage to implement the agreed actions and build Africa’s capacities to achieve its goals. Very little stands in the way of the posterity of Sino-Africa relations and evidence has repeatedly confirmed that there is much to gain instead.
Kubayi is a research Fellow at Institute for Pan African Thought and Conversation Researcher at Institute for Global Dialogue Doctoral Candidate: Political Studies at University of Johannesburg