The Economist Intelligence Unit just released a report titled "Africa-China Relations Taming the Dragon: New Frontiers of Co-operation?"
China has worked hard to establish a solid footprint across Africa through years of high-level political engagement and the provision of access to much-needed project finance and expertise. COVID-19 proved a difficult time for relations between Africa and China, with Chinese trade and investment stumbling over hurdles created by virus containment measures imposed worldwide. Nevertheless, relations started 2021 on a reasonably strong footing, with China well on the road to recovery and actively seeking to protect its investments and shore up access to African markets, production bases and raw materials.
The foundation of China's new approach to Sino-African relations entails increased agricultural-sector co-operation in food production, storage and transportation; environmental initiatives to tackle climate change in the pursuit of sustainable development; digitalization of the continent and realization of opportunities created by the ICT revolution; health-sector co-operation to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic and disease prevention more generally; promotion of industrial clusters and knowledge transfer to boost African manufacturing; support for African regional connectivity in product markets and value chains facilitated through intra-African and international free-trade arrangements; and greater military and security co-operation in peacekeeping and counterterrorism capacity.
