China Links Communist Party to China-Africa Cooperation

 Ethiopia's Capital published on 12 July 2026 an op-ed titled "A 105-year Journey of Struggle: The Code of China's Development and a New Chapter in China-Africa Cooperation" by Ambassador Jiang Feng, head of China's mission to the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.  

The op-ed begins: "On July 1st, the Communist Party of China (CPC) marked the 105th anniversary of its founding.  For the Chinese people, it is an important occasion to reflect on the nation's journey of struggle and achievement while looking ahead to the bright prospects.  For our African friends who are interested in China's development, it also offers an important opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the key to China's development."  

The op-ed continues to praise the progress made by the CPC and suggests that China's model of development offers lessons for African countries.

Comment:  The Mission of China to the African Union website posted the same op-ed on 7 July.  It is not clear if Capital published the op-ed because it considered the ambassador's remarks newsworthy or there was some other incentive.

China's Foreign Aid Policy

 The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute published in January 2026 a study titled "China and the Changing International Development Landscape" by Jingdong Yuan.  

The current level of China's overseas development assistance makes it impossible for Beijing to fill the gap left by the dismantlement of the US Agency for International Development.  Beijing is more willing to promote its development aid model of infrastructure-driven and trade-related growth.

China Takes Lead in African Digital Development

 South Africa's The Star published on 21 December 2025 an article titled "Empowering Africa: How China's Tech Cooperation Fuels Progress" by Gideon Chitanga.

The article argues that Chinese government and companies have become critical partners in the development of Africa's digital systems and information and communications technology.  For example, Huawei has constructed an estimated 70 percent of Africa's 4-G networks.

China Courts African Media and Think Tanks at Forum in South Africa

 Kenya's The Star published on 17 November 2025 an article titled "China-Africa Partnership Conference Highlights Cooperation toward Shared Global Governance."

South Africa hosted on 13-14 November the Global South Media and Think Tank Forum China-Africa Partnership Conference.  China's Xinhua News Agency, the African Union, and South Africa's Independent Media organized the event attended by more than 200 representatives from 160 media outlets, think tanks, and government organizations.  The primary theme was shaping global governance.  

Comment:  The Forum is another example of China's focus on soft power in Africa and especially support for African media and think tanks.  The Forum provides China an opportunity to promote its governance model in Africa and build a "China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era."  

China also promoted its four global initiatives dealing with development, security, civilization, and governance.  China International Television Corporation and the state policy bank China Africa Development Fund have a 20 percent stake in South Africa's Independent Media, one of the sponsors of the Forum.  

Africa and China's Global Security Initiative

The Africa Center for Strategic Studies published on 4 August 2025 a paper titled "Africa as a Testing Ground for China's Global Security Initiative" by Paul Nantulya. 

China's Global Security Initiative (GSI) is slowly taking on concrete structure.  GSI principles are designed to appeal to the Global South and are being integrated into the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation.  African governments also see GSI as another source of security assistance.  

China's Think Tank Diplomacy in Africa

 India's Observer Research Foundation published on 9 July 2025 an analysis titled "China's Think Tank Diplomacy in Africa" by Samir Bhattacharya.

China launched the China-Africa Think Tanks Forum (CATTF) in 2011, convening delegates from 27 African countries.  CATTF serves as a permanent platform for dialogue and exchange between Chinese and African think tanks.  

Xi Jinping has significantly expanded this initiative.  Most of its activities are carefully orchestrated by China's state apparatus.  Beijing's goal is to project China's world view, governance model, and developmental practices.  

China's Economic Relations with Africa at the Provincial Level

 Megatrends Afrika published in April 2025 a policy brief titled "China in Africa: Shaping Economic Relations Through Subnational Actors" by Hangwei Li.

The policy brief deconstructs China as a unitary actor and highlights the role of provincial and local governments, using Zhejiang Province and Jinhua city as case studies, as integral parts of a multi-layered political architecture that encompasses local, national, and international spheres.  The author identifies several downsides in this subnational approach.  

Africa-China Relations in 2025

 The Africa Center for Strategic Studies published on 7 January 2025 a commentary titled "What to Expect from Africa-China Relations in 2025" by Paul Nantulya.

China will continue to promote its governance model in Africa, enlist support to reshape global norms, secure the supply of critical minerals, strengthen party-to-party ties, and increase military outreach.  The major items on the agenda of African countries are market access, balanced trade with China, and adding value to exports.

The Future of China-Africa Relations

 The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace published on 21 November 2024 an analysis titled "What FOCAC 2024 Reveals About the Future of China-Africa Relations" by Christian-Geraud Neema.

China called for modernization in Africa or the right to industrialize according to one's own background without being forced to follow Western norms.  China is promoting a variety of governance models and approaches to development and modernization that undercut the Western-led international order, norms, and values.  

China is positioning itself as Africa's development partner and international ally.  But there is no guarantee China's approach will be fairer or more advantageous for Africa.  So far, the United States has not responded with a clear counter strategy.

Are African Governments Shaping the China-Africa Policy Agenda?

 The LSE blog posted on 21 November 2024 a commentary titled "African Governments Are Shaping the Future of the China-Africa Relations" by Tom Baxter, Dialogue Earth, and Yuezhou Yang, LSE-Fudan Global Public Policy Hub.

The authors argue that increasingly Africa is able to guide the China-Africa policy agenda.

Comment: While there may be some modest movement in this direction, there is precious little meaningful evidence in this commentary to make the case that African governments are shaping the future of China-Africa relations. 

China-Africa Ties after 9th FOCAC

 Boston University's Global Development Policy Center posted on 15 October 2024 an analysis titled "Back in Action: The Ninth Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Sees Renewed Relations and Development Prospects" by Tianyi Wu.  

This is an analysis of the recently completed 9th FOCAC held in Beijing.  This iteration of FOCAC suggested that China seeks to adjust its approach to Africa by forging strategic partnerships, compartmentalizing financial tools for development projects, and aligning its engagement with regional multilateral initiatives.

China, Russia, Africa, and Peacebuilding

 The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute published on 18 April 2024 an analysis titled "China, Russia and the Future of Peacebuilding" by Jiayi Zhou, Jair van der Lijn, and Jingdong Yuan.

China's approach to peacebuilding emphasizes sovereignty and regime security and tends to downplay the protection of civilians in armed conflict.  China stresses that poverty and underdevelopment are root causes of conflict and insecurity; economic development is hence considered a key element in fostering peace.

Russia's approach shares China's emphasis on state sovereignty and host state consent, although several Russian military operations such as Ukraine have violated those precepts.  Russia's position is in several respects starkly different to China's.  It argues that economic difficulties do not automatically lead to insecurity and that stabilizing the security situation leads to improved developmental and societal outcomes in a given country--not the other way around.

The authors conclude that China has no distinctive, clearly defined approach to peacebuilding.  Likewise, gaps and inconsistencies between rhetoric and action suggest that Russia engages in fragile settings opportunistically rather than offering a principled approach or paradigm to fostering peace.

Comment:  The differences in approach to peacebuilding by China and Russia suggest this is not an area where they are likely to cooperate in Africa.  Based on past Chinese experience, it is almost inconceivable that China would agree to collaborate with a Russian Wagner Group or Africa Corps contingent.    

China Is Gaslighting the Global South

Foreign Policy posted on 5 April 2024 a commentary titled "China Is Gaslighting the Developing World" by Robert A. Manning, Stimson Center. 

The author argues that it is unclear if the Global South really wants "a post-American future--let alone a Beijing-dominated one."  China's vision of multilateralism and equality are camouflage for its own hegemonic ambitions.

Most of China's initiatives are aimed at delegitimizing and displacing U.S. power.  China envisions the BRICS, for example, as "a Sino-centric network," a competitor or eventually even replacement for the Bretton Woods institutions.

The author concludes: "China appears, at best, an immature great power, its aspirations far exceeding its grasp and appeal.  Beijing's wannabe post-U.S. order faces a legitimacy deficit." 

China-Africa Cooperation on Artificial Intelligence

 The Cyberspace Administration of China published on 3 April 2024 an announcement titled "2024 China-Africa Internet Development and Cooperation Forum: Chair's Statement on China-Africa Cooperation on AI."

The China-Africa Internet Development and Cooperation Forum was held online in Xiamen, China on 2-3 April 2024.  The participants held in depth exchanges on China-Africa cooperation on artificial intelligence (AI).  

In 2023, China launched the Global AI Governance Initiative, which is designed to implement its concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind and to realize the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative.  

China's Global Development Initiative and Navigating the Geopolitical Environment

 The East Asia Forum published on 29 December 2023 a commentary titled "Can China's GDI Navigate Geopolitics and Deliver Results?" by Sen Gong, Zhejiang University.  

As of August 2023, more than 200 "small and beautiful" (Beijing's new development mantra) projects had been carried out in the name of China's Global Development Initiative (GDI).  The author points out the challenges for GDI in navigating a complex geopolitical environment but is generally optimistic about its future.  

Comparing China's Approach to Africa and Latin America

 The Diplomat published on 21 October 2023 a commentary titled "Comparing China's Engagement in Africa and Latin America" by R. Evan Ellis, U.S. Army War College Strategic Studies Center.  

There are far more commonalities than differences in China's approach to Africa and Latin America, but the differences demonstrate how China adapts its policies to different geographic regions.  

Why China Won't Win the Global South

 The Atlantic Council published on 16 October 2023 an analysis titled "Why China Won't Win the Global South" by Michael Schuman, non-resident senior fellow in the Atlantic Council's Global China Hub and journalist with more than 25 years experience in Asia.

China is now acting as an alternative power to the West within the Global South and no longer one developing country among many.  This has altered the power dynamic within the Global South and between China and the developing world.  China now has an unequal relationship with the Global South.  This situation has become more apparent as China deals with the debt crisis facing countries like Zambia in the Global South.  The new unbalanced relationship between China and the Global South has left the door ajar for others to challenge China's quest for primacy in the developing world.  

China's Three New Initiatives Will Shape Its Foreign Policy

 Time published on 1 October 2023 a commentary titled "Bye Bye BRI? Why 3 New Initiatives Will Shape the Next 10 Years of China's Global Outreach" by Ruby Osman, Tony Blair Institute for Global Change.

China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has poured more than $1 trillion into global infrastructure faster and with less bureaucracy than Western programs, built invaluable overseas experience for Chinese firms and banks, and provided a wake-up call on the scale of Chinese ambitions.  And yet, 10 years on, it remains impossible to pin down what constitutes the BRI, which is more branding exercise than masterplan.

The advantage of being a brand is that there's an inherent flexibility to the BRI.  Xi Jinping has unveiled three new major initiatives: the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative.  They aim to share China's development, security, and cultural background with the world, and build consensus on China's preferred norms in the process. The political and institutional groundwork is being laid to ensure the three new initiatives will be a core part of China's foreign policy over the next decade.

China's Global Policy Papers: Ambiguity Is Not the Answer

 China Observers in Central and Eastern Europe (CHOICE), a multinational consortium of experts, published on 28 September 2023 a commentary titled "Ambiguity: The Key Obstacle for China's Ambition to Reshape the Global Order" by Moritz Rudolf, Yale Law School's Paul Tsai China Center. 

China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a white paper titled "A Global Community of Shared Future: China's Proposals and Actions" on 26 September 2023.  It comes after Xi Jinping's concept of a Community of Shared Future for Mankind (CSFM), the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the Global Development Initiative (GDI), the Global Security Initiative (GSI), and the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI).  The GDI, GSI, and GCI are efforts to provide meaning to the CSFM.  

The author points out that China's global initiatives emphasize general principles, which opens the door to ambiguity and appears to leave Beijing as their sole legitimate interpreter.  The documents suffer from insufficient translation, definition, and contextualization. China struggles to formalize and operationalize its global initiatives.  The author concludes that as long as Beijing remains incapable of clearly stating its global positions it will not be able to play a constructive role in reforming the global order but will disrupt it, regardless of its intentions.  

Can China Really Build a New World Order?

 The Diplomat published on 28 September 2023 a commentary titled "Can China Really Build a New World Order?" by Nicholas Bequelin, Yale Law School's Paul Tsai Center on China.  

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken commented that "China is the only country with both the intent to reshape the international order and the power to do it."  The author concludes that Chinese diplomacy is riven by contradictions, incoherence, and confusion.  Disorder rather than a new Chinese world order is the most likely outcome of current Chinese foreign policy.