A New Era of Cooperation

　　This October marks the 20th anniversary of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), a platform that has taken bilateral cooperation to new heights. The efforts from China and African countries under the framework of the FOCAC have led to great progress in their political relations, economic cooperation, and cultural and people-to-people exchanges over the past two decades.

　　Since the FOCAC’s establishment, three summits and seven ministerial conferences have been held. Thanks to the well-planned and targeted measures put forward at each meeting, cooperation between China and African countries within the framework of the FOCAC has advanced in an open and mutually beneficial manner. From the eight new measures put forward at the 2006 Beijing Summit to the 10 cooperation plans at the 2015 Johannesburg Summit and the Eight Major Initiatives at the 2018 Beijing Summit, all these well-deliberated measures have seen the cooperation move forward toward a China-Africa community with a shared future.

　　In infrastructure construction, China has built more than 6,000 km of railways and roads respectively, as well as nearly 20 ports and more than 80 large electricity facilities, in Africa. It has also assisted the construction of more than 130 medical facilities, 45 sports venues, and over 170 schools. More than 200,000 professionals in various fields from African countries have received training by their Chinese counterparts.

　　China-Africa business cooperation in the past two decades is also significant. In 2019, ChinaAfrica trade exceeded $200 billion. China has been the largest trading partner of Africa for 11 successive years and its investment in the continent has topped $110 billion. More than 3,700 Chinese enterprises are operating in African countries. The profitable returns on their investment have encouraged other countries to invest more in Africa, bringing greater opportunities for the continent.

　　Many of the China-Africa cooperation programs are conducted at a community level. For instance, Chinese agricultural experts work with their African counterparts in the crop fields and Chinese medical workers provide service for patients in rural hospitals. These efforts are warmly welcomed by local people.

　　The FOCAC has also aligned itself with other cooperation mechanisms, such as the Belt and Road Initiative, South-South cooperation programs and the AU Agenda 2063. In addition, the African Continental Free Trade Area is expected to be launched on January 1, 2021. This will enable the FOCAC to have a new platform with which to further promote bilateral cooperation.Next year, leaders from China and African countries will meet in Senegal for another FOCAC meeting, and new China-Africa cooperation plans will be made for the following three years, according to post-COVID-19 world conditions. At that time, it is expected that ChinaAfrica cooperation will usher in a new and more dynamic era.

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