China and Africa have a shared interest in defending multilateral frameworks

This year is the 70th anniversary of China-Africa diplomatic relations. In January, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi upheld a 36-year tradition that China’s foreign minister begins the year with a visit to Africa, traveling to four African countries and the African Union to launch the 2026 China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges. This year also marks the fifth anniversary of China’s Global Development Initiative, providing an opportune moment to assess the achievements that have been made and analyze how the Africa-China partnership can evolve to address contemporary development challenges while strengthening multilateral cooperation.

The foundation of China-Africa relations rests upon seven decades of mutual respect, non-interference and shared developmental aspirations. Unlike relationships characterized by conditionality or colonial legacies, China-Africa cooperation has been anchored in the principles of equality and common interests. This approach has enabled sustained engagement even as global geopolitical dynamics have shifted dramatically. The establishment of strategic partnerships with all 53 African countries with which China maintains diplomatic relations demonstrates the depth and breadth of this commitment and reflects a model of South-South cooperation.

The achievements made under the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation are remarkable and serve as a springboard for further advancement. Bilateral trade has surged from $10.6 billion at FOCAC’s inception in 2000 to $295.6 billion in 2024. Bilateral cooperation has also catalyzed infrastructure development across the energy, information and communication technology and transport sectors. China’s stock of direct investment in Africa exceeding $50 billion has facilitated technology transfer and employment creation. However, these aggregate figures require nuanced interpretation. While infrastructure financing has addressed critical bottlenecks, questions around debt sustainability and local capacity development remain central to ensuring long-term mutual benefit.

Ethiopia exemplifies both the potential and complexities of China-Africa cooperation. The Djibouti-Addis Ababa electric-powered railway represents transformative infrastructure that enhances regional integration and reduces transport costs. While financing hydropower projects and transmission lines, the Adama and Aysha wind farms advance renewable energy capacity, contributing 324 megawatts to the national grid. These projects demonstrate alignment between China’s infrastructure capabilities and Ethiopia’s development priorities. The expansion of sustainable, low-carbon industrial parks and telecommunications infrastructure further illustrates sectoral diversification beyond traditional commodities. However, the sustainability of this cooperation depends on Ethiopia’s capacity to leverage these investments to enhance domestic value addition, improve export competitiveness and build regional value chains.

Looking forward, several pathways could elevate China-Africa cooperation to address emerging development imperatives. First, expanding Africa’s export base beyond primary commodities requires targeted foreign direct investment in the manufacturing and agro-processing sectors, which will boost industrial output and exports, and accelerate Africa’s industrialization and economic transformation. China’s implementation of zero-tariff policies for all African countries with which it has diplomatic relations creates market access opportunities. Still, African nations must simultaneously enhance their productive capacities to capitalize on these preferences.

Second, as China advances in green technologies, collaboration on renewable energy, electric vehicle manufacturing and sustainable industrialization could position Africa as a participant in rather than a passive recipient of the global energy transition. Africa’s abundant renewable energy potential and critical mineral reserves provide comparative advantages that, if strategically harnessed, could transform the continent’s position in green value chains.

Third, digital technologies and artificial intelligence represent frontier areas for cooperation. Africa’s demographic trajectory, with 2.5 billion people by 2050 as estimated by the United Nations and projections suggesting that it will be home to 40 percent of the global population by the century’s end, constitutes both a challenge and an opportunity. Investing in digital infrastructure, digital literacy and technology-enabled services could transform Africa’s youthful population into a global asset and productive workforce. China’s experience in leveraging digital platforms for financial inclusion, e-commerce and service delivery offers relevant lessons. However, adaptation to African contexts requires careful attention to regulatory frameworks and local innovation ecosystems.

Beyond bilateral cooperation, China and Africa share strategic interests in reforming global governance architecture. The Global Development Initiative provides a framework for advancing developing countries’ priorities in multilateral forums. Current international financial institutions and governance mechanisms disproportionately reflect power configurations from the mid-20th century, marginalizing emerging economies despite their growing economic weight. Joint advocacy for representation in decision-making bodies, reform of development finance mechanisms and stronger South-South cooperation platforms can amplify developing countries’ voices. The African Union’s admission to the G20 represents progress, but substantive influence requires sustained collective action.

Peace and security constitute foundational prerequisites for development. The intensification of geopolitical tensions, increasing militarization and attacks on multilateralism threaten to reverse development gains. Collaboration on conflict prevention, peacekeeping and post-conflict reconstruction aligns with both sides’ development objectives.

Climate change and trade governance present additional areas requiring coordinated positions. African nations face disproportionate climate impacts despite minimal historical emissions, while bearing the burden of costly adaptation measures. China’s position as both a major emitter and leader in renewable technology deployment creates opportunities for collaborative approaches that balance development imperatives with environmental sustainability. Similarly, the erosion of rules-based trade systems through protectionist measures and unilateral sanctions undermines developing countries’ integration into global value chains. Defending multilateral trade principles while pursuing regional integration initiatives serves mutual interests.

As China and Africa commemorate 70 years of diplomatic relations, the partnership stands at a crossroads. Past achievements in infrastructure, trade and people-to-people exchanges provide a solid foundation, yet evolving global dynamics demand a renewed strategic vision. Elevating cooperation requires moving beyond transactional relationships toward deeper integration in manufacturing, technology and knowledge-intensive sectors. Ethiopia’s experience demonstrates that strategic commitment and mutual respect can yield transformative outcomes, but sustainability depends upon addressing structural imbalances and building local capacities. Ultimately, China-Africa cooperation must be embedded within broader efforts to reform global governance, strengthen multilateralism, and advance peace and common prosperity. The 2026 China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges and the Initiative on Cooperation Supporting Modernization in Africa signal intent to deepen engagement. Whether these initiatives mark a genuinely new era will depend on the willingness of both parties to address existing challenges while seizing emerging opportunities in the global economy.

The author is a global professor at the British Academy at SOAS University of London, the former senior minister and a special adviser to the prime minister of Ethiopia.

The author contributed this article to China Watch, a think tank powered by China Daily. The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.

Contact the editor at editor@chinawatch.cn.