With Chinese President Xi Jinping's attendance at the FOCAC (Forum on China-African Co-operation) summit on September 5, all eyes are on China and Africa’s heads of state as they convene in Beijing.
The announcement of President Xi's attendance sets a precedent and sets the tone for what is to come regarding Africa’s future. This year, the message is loud and clear: Africa is moving forward, and China is leading the way in widespread industrialisation and modernisation.
The attendance of President Xi is a declaration of unity between China and its friendly African states and allies, including South Africa, a member of the BRICS group of nations in the developing south.
This is a renewal of the country's ever-growing friendship with the continent. Addressing international journalists and correspondents, Chen Xiaodong, China's Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, stated that it is also the largest diplomatic event China has hosted in recent years, with the highest attendance of foreign leaders.
Leaders of many African countries and the chairperson of the AU Commission will lead delegations to participate in the summit. The UN Secretary-General will be a special guest, and relevant international and regional organisations will also attend the summit as observers.
The summit will hold a welcoming banquet, opening ceremony, four high-level meetings on the topics of state governance, industrialisation and agricultural modernisation, peace and security, high-quality Belt and Road co-operation, as well as the eighth Conference of Chinese and African Entrepreneurs and other related activities.
President Xi will deliver an important keynote speech to elaborate on the new ideas and propositions for building a high-level community with a shared future between China and Africa. He will also announce new actions and measures for practical co-operation with Africa.
To put things into perspective, China has emerged in 2024 as the largest contributor of foreign direct investment (FDI) in Africa. It is also South Africa’s biggest trading partner.
BRICS has cemented its place as the new face and leader of global geopolitical affairs. The meteoric rise of China in its quest for widespread modernisation and its insistence on taking Africa along with it on the road to growth and economic prosperity is proof that the world is shifting.
At the launching ceremony of the Report on Chinese Investment in Africa, Wang Xia Yang, executive chairperson of the China Africa Business Council, stated that the council serves more than 3 200 Chinese and African enterprises and institutions.
Among them, 600 key members have businesses in 54 African countries and have invested and reinvested more than $20 billion in Africa. They have directly employed more than 100 000 people in Africa and indirectly created more than 1.6 million jobs.
Wang emphasised that these achievements could not have been achieved without the long-term guidance of FOCAC and the support of African governments and the hard work of African people. He stressed that FOCAC is a valuable asset for both China and Africa. He believes that in the coming three years, driven by various policies between the Chinese and African governments and supported by the foreign, commercial and financial departments, China-Africa trade and investment co-operation will contribute to Africa’s modernisation.
An analysis of the reports and continuing developments between China and Africa co-operation shows that there has been a steady growth in investment and co-operation among the key focus areas for investment.
Industries such as agriculture, agro-processing, the automotive industry, pharmaceuticals, fertilisers, chemicals, textiles, and mineral processing will be key to ushering in an age of unparalleled growth, modernisation, and a shared future.
For countries such as South Africa, which has a massive unemployment crisis, co-operation with China and the rest of Africa will be crucial in turning things around.
The writing was always on the wall, and it is now all about the concept of a shared future between China and Africa.
Ayanda Mdluli is the editor of the Daily News.
Daily News