Arms Linked in Unity
ISTOCK What does China’s reform and opening up mean to African countries? What lessons can African countries draw from China’s route to prosperity? These are the topics the Chinese and African scholars from think tanks throughout China and Africa discussed at the Seventh Meeting of China-Africa Think Tanks Forum convened in Beijing on July 4. Over the past 40 years, China-Africa economic and trade cooperation has achieved leap-forward development. The trade volume between China and Africa increased more than 200-fold since the start of China’s reform and opening up in late 1978. China has maintained its position as Africa’s largest trade partner for nine years in a row, according to data from the Ministry of Commerce of China.
The year 2018 marks the 40th anniversary of China’s reform and opening up. During this period, China achieved its own rapid development, and also committed to building a community of shared future for mankind. Reform and opening up is a great process that has seen China and the world, especially China and African countries, develop and progress together, according to experts at the meeting. At the forum, envoys, government officials, think tank scholars and media representatives expressed their opinions on China-Africa mutual developments in the past four decades and how the relationship could be further strengthened in the future. The following is an edited excerpt on their views:
Chen Xiaodong
Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs
The debt problem in some African countries is caused by many factors. It is a common problem faced by developing countries and has become a “growing pain” in the development process. The fundamental solution still depends on economic growth. We often say that it is better to teach people to fish than give people fish. China is cooperating with African countries to promote their independent development capabilities, and build a large number of projects in Africa that could benefit its national economy and people’s livelihood.
Justin Yifu Lin
Counselor for the State Council of China and Dean of Institute of New Structural Economics at Peking University
When China’s reform and opening up started in late 1978, Sub-Saharan Africa’s GDP per capita was more than three times that of China. At that time, 84 percent of Chinese lived on less than $1.25 per day, the international poverty standard.
The reason why China has achieved such a great success after 1978 is because of its changing thought of development. In the past, in pursuing modernization, African countries usually acquired experience and theory from developed countries. The current situation between developed countries and African countries is totally different. In fact, the preconditions for development in Africa are similar to those in China. Therefore, the experience accumulated during the 40 years of China’s reform and opening up and the theory it has developed will have greater reference value for African countries and other developing countries.
At present, the infrastructure in most African countries is relatively poor. It is a bottleneck for economic development. Labor-intensive industrialization has become a key path to prosperity and now the Belt and Road Initiative will play an important role in African countries toward solving the bottlenecks and achieving industrialization.
Peter Kagwanja
President of African Policy Institute in Kenya
China and Africa are following their separate non-hegemonic and winwin paths to development. However, infrastructure investment must be profitable and productive to avoid an unsustainable debt burden. The Beijing Summit on the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) that will be held in September should emphasize the need for industrial parks and also examine ways to avoid corruption and political patronage in African projects.
Zerihun Woldu
Vice President of Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia
China shows that development can be achieved, from which Africa may draw inspiration for its own development drive. The think tanks and media of China and Africa need to find a common voice and tell a true China-Africa relationship story to enhance the image of bilateral relations. Both sides need to improve key skills and capacity, as well as develop common international ethical standards.
Charles Onunaiju
Director of Center for China Studies of Nigeria
China’s reform and opening up allows Africa to see a hopeful future, and the success of China serves as an important inspiration for African countries to see that modernization is more than one path.
China-Africa cooperation is a mutual learning process. China’s Belt and Road Initiative has made ChinaAfrica relations more dynamic. China and Africa will take a candid approach to dealing with their challenges together. China and Africa can positively influence changing the rules of the game.
Li Yafang
President of Beijing Review
Chinese and African media should seek common ground and put aside their differences while respecting cultural diversity. Chinese and African media ought to increase cooperation and exchange so as to promote a mutual understanding between China and Africa.
Liu Hongwu
Dean of Institute of African Studies, Zhejiang Normal University
The rapid development of China-Africa relations is a special window for China’s reform and opening up. In some respects, the bilateral relations have boosted China’s opening to the world, and African countries are also preparing for a new step toward opening up.
Both China and Africa have unique historical and cultural traditions. It is of great importance for them to understand each other, and to follow the path that suits their own development. At the same time, media, scholars, academics and think tanks are also showing a trend of integration. How Chinese and African media can play more roles in China-Africa cooperation is an important issue worthy of discussion.
Mohamed Fayez Farahat Mahmoud
Senior Researcher of Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies in Egypt
China’s 40 years of reform and opening up have made remarkable achievements that have attracted the attention of the world. The experience proved to be invaluable to developing countries, especially African countries.
Chen Mingkun
Vice Dean of Institute of African Studies, Zhejiang Normal University
Relations between China and Africa in many sectors, including economic, cultural, educational and diplomatic areas, are experiencing fast development. Africa does not intend to follow the Chinese development model directly. But we can learn from each other. We should let more Chinese people know about Africa, and also tell African people more about China and how the country has developed over the past 40 years.
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