CHINA and Africa recorded a significant boost in economic ties last year, with bilateral trade hitting $295bn in 2024, reflecting a 6 percent year-on-year increase, according to officials from the African Union (AU) and the Chinese Mission to the AU.
Speaking at a policy briefing in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the head of the Chinese Mission to the AU, Hu Changchun, underscored China’s position as Africa’s largest trading partner for the 15th consecutive year. Nearly half of all African nations saw double-digit trade growth with China in 2024, he said.
The briefing, co-hosted by the AU Staff Association and China’s Mission to the AU, focused on strengthening economic cooperation, improving mutual understanding, and creating new platforms for shared development.
Trade driven by Belt and Road, FOCAC initiatives
Hu attributed the positive trajectory to continued policy efforts under the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which have drawn increasing numbers of Chinese enterprises to African markets.
‘These initiatives have helped Chinese companies play a key role in Africa’s socio-economic transformation,’ he said. ‘Their impact spans agriculture, manufacturing, infrastructure, green energy, and the digital economy.’
Hu also noted that 33 African countries are now benefitting from China’s zero-tariff access policy for least-developed nations — a move that he described as part of Beijing’s commitment to building institutional openness and advancing South-South cooperation.
AU praises long-standing Chinese partnership
Also speaking at the event, Mohamed El-Amine Souef, Chief of Staff of the AU Commission, praised China’s historic and ongoing contributions to African development, pointing to the nation’s early support for the continent during its post-independence period in the 1960s and 70s.
He acknowledged China’s role in delivering strategic infrastructure, enhancing healthcare and security capacity, and providing military training for African officers.
‘China has remained a committed partner in Africa’s development journey,’ Souef said, highlighting the durability and consistency of Beijing’s engagement.
Expanding access to global markets
The event also spotlighted China’s major international trade fairs, including the China International Import Expo and the Canton Fair, which have connected African producers and businesses to broader global markets.
These platforms, speakers noted, serve as gateways for African exporters to tap into global demand, while fostering two-way investment and innovation in emerging sectors.
With growing attention on industrialisation, sustainability, and digital transformation, China and Africa appear poised to deepen trade integration further in 2025 and beyond.
