China's new five-year plan synergizes with Africa's development strategy
- By He Wenping
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E-mail ChinAfrica, April 19, 2016
And at the Johannesburg Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in December, Xi pledged 10 major plans to boost China-Africa cooperation.
China seeks to promote Sino-African traffic connectivity and to realize integration in two areas: integrating China's industrial restructuring with African industrialization, and synchronizing the Belt and Road Initiative with Africa's development strategies.
Helping Africa's infrastructure construction and promoting traffic connectivity is creating conditions for integration.
Poor infrastructure has been restraining the development of African economies. Problems like insufficient transportation facilities or power shortages not only lead to high cost of domestic and regional trade but also prevent foreign investment.
Like the "Chinese Dream" of national rejuvenation, African people also cherish the "African Aspiration" of poverty reduction and self-development. Better connectivity and industrialization are the only way to achieve this dream.
To make the 21st century the period of Africa's rapid development through industrialization and economic and regional integration, the African Union (AU) has adopted a series of plans. Starting with the New Partnership for Africa's Development in 2001, they include the Accelerated Industrial Development for Africa action plan in 2008, and in 2013, the Program for Infrastructure Development in Africa as well as Agenda 2063.
In this sense, China's Belt and Road Initiative echoes Africa's development strategies in the 21st century. It will inject new momentum into the sustainable development of China-Africa relations and explore a new pattern of South-South cooperation.
Positive response
Integration in these two areas has received positive responses from African countries. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi showed support for China's Belt and Road Initiative and willingness to push forward bilateral cooperation in all areas with China during his visit to China at the end of 2014. He said to meet the economic challenges facing his country, the priority was to develop infrastructure.
In January 2016, when Xi visited Egypt, the two sides signed a memorandum to jointly promote the Belt and Road Initiative and signed deals to boost cooperation in areas including power supply, infrastructure construction, trade, energy, finance, and aviation.
Starting with cooperation in infrastructure construction and industrial capacity, China will help Egypt become a key nation along the Silk Road Economic Belt.
The AU and China signed a memorandum of understanding in January to cooperate in major infrastructure networks and Africa's industrialization.
According to the agreement, China will strengthen cooperation with Africa in railways, highways, aviation and industrialization to accelerate the continent's integration within the framework of Agenda 2063. Chinese companies are already building railways, airports, industrial parks and harbors in countries like Ethiopia, Djibouti, Kenya and Nigeria.
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