Africa-Press – Gambia. In recent years, under the strategic guidance of the leaders of both sides, China-Africa economic and trade cooperation has made steady and substantial progress.
Trade between the two sides has grown continuously. In 2024, trade between China and African countries reached $295.6 billion, a year-on-year increase of 4.8 percent, setting a new record for the fourth consecutive year. China has been Africa’s largest trading partner for 16 straight years; while imports from Africa reached $116.8 billion, up 6.9 percent year over year. Meanwhile, China’s exports to Africa went up by 3.5 percent to reach $178.8 billion.
Investment ties have also strengthened. Chinese enterprises have ramped up the development of and investment across various economic and trade zones in Africa, promoting industrial chain cooperation. These efforts have significantly boosted local tax revenues, job creation, and export growth in the African continent.
Cooperation in emerging sectors also continues to expand. In the digital economy, Chinese companies have built major data centers in Africa, applying 5G technology in urban management. In green development, the installed capacity of photovoltaic power stations jointly built by China and Africa has exceeded 1.5 GW, enough to power millions of African households. In finance, Egypt and the African Export-Import Bank successfully issued “Panda bonds” in China in 2023 and 2025.
Over the past five years, annual Chinese direct investment into Africa stood at over $3 billion on average, covering a wide range of sectors. The Chinese Ministry of Commerce has signed bilateral investment promotion and protection agreements with 34 African countries and established joint investment and economic cooperation working groups with 14.
Starting from December 1, 2024, China has given all the least developed countries with which it has diplomatic relations zero-tariff treatment for 100 percent tariff lines, including 33 African nations. By March 2025, China’s imports from these African countries had reached $21.42 billion, up 15.2 percent year on year. In the first quarter of 2025, Chinese imports of African coffee surged by 70.4 percent, while cocoa bean imports rose by 56.8 percent.
Since its launch in 2019, the China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo has been successfully held three times, with 83 percent of signed projects having been implemented.
The fourth edition of the Expo, themed “China and Africa: Together Toward Modernization,” is scheduled to take place from June 12 to 15 in Changsha, central China’s Hunan province.
This year, the Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Namibia, South Africa, and Nigeria will serve as guest countries of honor. To date, 44 African countries, six international organizations, 23 Chinese provincial-level regions, and more than 2,800 enterprises, business associations, and financial institutions from both sides have registered – totaling over 12,000 participants.
Tailored to industrial needs on both sides, this year’s expo will prioritize supply-demand matchmaking and offer distinctive exhibition experiences. The main venue – the Changsha International Convention and Exhibition Center – will cover 100,000 square meters. For the first time, the biennial expo will include specially curated sections showcasing signature China-Africa cooperation brands, popular African consumer goods, and highlights from the China-Africa fashion industry.
As a key platform for implementing the economic and trade initiatives of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), the expo will host more than 20 activities, covering infrastructure, textiles and garments, green minerals, youth innovation and entrepreneurship, and entrepreneur dialogues. A total of 128 cooperation projects with a total value exceeding $7 billion have been proposed for signing or matchmaking during the expo.
In January 2024, China’s State Council approved a general plan to establish a pilot zone for in-depth China-Africa economic and trade cooperation in Hunan, making the province a new frontier for China-Africa trade. In just two years, the zone has achieved significant progress.
In coordination with the Chinese Ministry of Commerce and other departments, Hunan has established a consultation mechanism and released an implementation plan for the pilot zone. Fourteen cities and prefectures across the province have formed cooperative partnerships with 28 African countries, laying the foundation for a robust engagement network.
A dedicated cooperation service fund has been established. Hunan has pioneered China’s first pre-assessment system for African food exports to China and launched a pilot program to explore new forms of barter trade with Africa.
To date, the province has launched more than 40 industrial projects across 16 African countries. Demonstration projects have been developed to integrate production with trade, investment with trade, and logistics with trade. Many of these are “small yet smart” livelihood programs.
An “African Product Brand Bank” initiative has also been launched, bringing over 120 African products to the Chinese market. In addition, a promotional campaign is underway to bring African products onto Chinese e-commerce platforms.
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