FOCAC: Driving Force Behind Growing China-Africa Ties, Says Chinese Ambassador

As African leaders prepare to convene in Beijing for the 2024 edition of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) summit, a palpable buzz surrounds the strengthening ties between China and Africa. These deepening relations—one of the most significant geopolitical developments of recent decades—form the core of a new book co-authored by Dr. Paul Tembe, a South African sinologist, and Jeffrey Sehume, a fellow researcher.

The volume, unveiled in Pretoria, delves into reciprocal China-Africa relations, accentuating the tangible infrastructural developments achieved through the collaboration, including railroads, highways, submarine cables, bridges, ports, and vital health and educational facilities.

At the helm of these developments is FOCAC. Chinese Ambassador to South Africa, Wu Peng, emphasized the forum's pivotal role during the book launch. He pointed out the meteoric growth in trade and foreign direct investment between China and Africa since FOCAC's 2000 conception. The staggering statistics he shared reflect an undeniable upward trajectory in mutual prosperity.

Wu extolled the collaboration's benefits: from empowering African self-sufficiency to the establishment of critical infrastructure touching the lives of nearly a billion African individuals. This cooperation mirrors the guiding principles of FOCAC—mutual respect and fairness—and is set apart by its unwavering focus on joint progress.

Infrastructure and modernization initiatives, such as wind power projects in South Africa, are a testament to the shared vision between China and Africa. Wu underscored these ventures, highlighting their economic and environmental benefits.

The highly anticipated FOCAC summit will explore the theme “Joining hands to advance modernization and build a high-level China-Africa community with a shared future”. Wu’s nod to Tembe’s timing in releasing his insightful work complements the forum's ongoing discourse, setting the stage for prolific discussions during the summit.

Kennedy Mudzuli, National Press Club chairperson and editor of Pretoria News, emphasized the significance of this pivotal year in Africa-China relations, citing the near-legendary status of China as Africa's top trade partner. Mudzuli underlined the historical connections between the two regions and the continued milestones achieved through the robust partnership.

Tembe’s book not only chronicles FOCAC's successes but also underscores the forum's role in peace and development on the African continent, serving as a clarion call to further collective efforts in silencing the guns and fostering unity.

As global attention turns to the upcoming summit, the book release stands as a beacon of the long and fruitful journey that China and Africa have embarked upon. The anticipation for what future collaborations will yield reflects a shared optimism about the endless possibilities held within the framework of FOCAC.