The economic and trade cooperation between China and Africa is gaining momentum, with trade volume recording a 6 percent year-on-year increase to 295 billion U.S. dollars in 2024, Chinese and African Union (AU) officials have said.
China has been Africa’s top trading partner for 15 consecutive years. Nearly half of African countries registered a double-digit growth in trade volumes with China last year, according to Hu Changchun, head of the Chinese Mission to the AU.
Hu made the remark at a policy briefing on China’s economy and trade cooperation with Africa on Wednesday, co-hosted by the Chinese mission and the AU Staff Association in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia.
The event aimed to deepen mutual understanding and explore more opportunities for shared development between China and Africa.
“Trade facilitation policies under the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation framework and the Belt and Road Initiative have encouraged more and more Chinese enterprises to come to Africa,” Hu said while highlighting China’s long-standing partnership with Africa.
“Their business activities have contributed to the socio-economic development and modernization of African countries in various sectors, including agriculture, infrastructure, manufacturing, green energy, and the digital economy,” Hu added.
Noting that China has granted zero-tariff treatment to all least-developed countries, with 33 African countries benefiting from this policy, he stressed that these tangible results speak loud and clear for China’s full commitment to expanding institutional openness and sharing development opportunities with Africa and the Global South.
Speaking at the event, Chief of Staff of the AU Commission Mohamed El-Amine Souef praised China’s long-standing support for Africa, which dates back to the 1960s and 1970s when many African countries gained independence.
Souef said China’s contributions to Africa’s development, including building strategic infrastructure, supporting the health and security sectors, and training African military officers, are praiseworthy.
The event also featured the introduction of China’s most influential trade fairs and events, which have helped link China with the global market and boost trade and investment across borders. Enditem
Source: Xinhua
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