China reaps most benefits of the Africa relationship

Bhaso Ndzendze

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The ninth Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in Beijing September 4-6 takes place under the theme of “Joining hands to advance modernization and build a high-level China-Africa community with a shared future.”

But how shared can that future be between the Asian economic giant and Africa?

The eight summits since 2000 have not resulted in mutual gain, particularly in trade and industrialization for Africa. China has reaped most of the benefits. The fault lies with Africa’s lack of a strategy for engagement with China.

I am a scholar of international relations and have researched Africa-China relations over several years.

The China-Africa cooperation forum has become the most important event on the African international relations calendar. More African leaders attend these summits than show up for the United Nations general assembly. Data shows that the forum attracts 40 to 60 African heads of state and government, far more than any other regular summit with a single country. The US-Africa Leaders Summit in December 2022 saw participation by 45 heads of state and government and 49 countries, but it is far less frequent. The previous one was in 2014.