Maintenance workers dismantle locomotive parts in the repair workshop of the Mombasa-Nairobi Railway in Nairobi, Kenya, on 23 January (XINHUA)

Beginning with the landmark 1955 Bandung Conference, China and African nations embarked on a path of solidarity and cooperation. Over the past seven decades, guided by the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and the Bandung Spirit of “solidarity, friendship, and cooperation,” both sides have explored independent development paths and confronted global challenges together. China’s successful modernisation with Chinese characteristics offers an alternative model for Global South countries, from which African nations have drawn valuable inspiration and tangible benefits. 

As key members of the Global South, China and African countries cooperate on the basis of equality, mutual trust, and win-win cooperation, and work together to challenge Western-centric narratives and forge a modernisation path that truly reflects the aspirations and realities of developing countries. China-Africa cooperation has become a benchmark for South-South collaboration, providing practical solutions to development challenges and paving the way for independent rejuvenation across the Global South. 

Monuments to development 

In their shared pursuit of modernisation, China and Africa continue to offer global public goods and shape new norms for international development. The Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, first articulated by China, reflect the collective wisdom of developing nations and have become foundational principles in international relations. The idea of building a “Community with a Shared Future for Mankind,” proposed by China and now enshrined in UN documents, has found one of its earliest regional expressions in China-Africa cooperation. 

The Dar es Salaam Consensus, a milestone outcome of the China-Africa Think Tanks Forum co-authored by Chinese and African scholars, was officially included in the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Beijing Declaration and Action Plan. It underscores the shared determination of both peoples to confront global challenges hand in hand. 

Modernisation is the inalienable right of all countries and a shared aspiration of China and Africa. Over the past decade, Chinese enterprises have built or upgraded more than 10,000 km of railways, nearly 100,000 km of roads, around 1,000 bridges, and nearly 100 ports across Africa. They have also developed power grids and communications systems that now serve over 900 million people, significantly contributing to local socio-economic development. 

China is further opening its vast market to African goods and investment. Meanwhile, African nations are actively promoting regional integration and have established the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), creating a more conducive environment for trade and investment with China. These efforts to enhance hard connectivity between China and Africa lay a solid foundation for shared prosperity and global economic growth. 

Global platforms 

In November, the G20 Leaders’ Summit will be held on the African continent for the first time. G20 cooperation should empower Africa’s development, achieve shared prosperity, and respond to the common aspirations of the Global South. At the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting held in February, China proposed taking South Africa’s presidency as an opportunity to deepen collaboration with Africa in key areas such as industrialisation, infrastructure development, and green mining to accelerate the modernisation process for Africa. 

China and Africa are also actively engaged in improving and reshaping the global governance system. By contributing to the evolution of international rules and institutions, the two parties are helping to foster a more inclusive and equitable global order - one that reflects the voices and interests of the Global South. 

At the 2024 FOCAC Beijing Summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced that China-Africa relations would be elevated to an “all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era.” As President Xi observed, “At every critical juncture, the two sides have employed far-sighted vision and always succeeded in finding new common ground and growth drivers.”

A new chapter 

Looking ahead, cooperation must be further strengthened across key areas such as trade, industry, infrastructure, governance and development experience, and people-to-people exchanges. Together, China and Africa can pursue high-quality growth and realise a shared vision of modernisation. 

To support this vision, both sides should make full use of existing platforms for sharing governance and development experiences and amplifying the voice of the Global South on the global stage. 

Infrastructure development will remain a cornerstone of cooperation. China will continue to support Africa’s efforts to build transport networks, communications systems, logistics hubs, and industrial parks - enhancing connectivity through roads, railways, waterways, airports, and ports. 

In the digital age, both sides must accelerate the construction of information infrastructure, expanding cooperation in cutting-edge areas such as the Internet of Things, industrial Internet, and 5G. 

China has also pledged continued support for the AfCFTA, helping to enable the free movement of goods, capital, and labour across the continent. Strengthening collaboration between Chinese and African enterprises and research institutions will promote technological innovation and industrial upgrading, preparing both regions to embrace the next wave of scientific and industrial revolutions. 

Finally, people-to-people exchange is the foundation of mutual understanding. China will continue to invite African youth to visit, study, and experience modernisation in China. Expanding exchanges among think tanks and media, and women’s groups will deepen the bonds of friendship and foster a richer understanding between the peoples of China and Africa.  

Wang Heng, Deputy Director, Institute of African Studies, Zhejiang Normal University 

Xu Mengyao, Zhong Yining, Research Assistants, Institute of African Studies, Zhejiang Normal University