The reporter recently learned from the special press conference of the China-Africa Economic and Trade In-depth Cooperation Pilot Zone held by the Ministry of Commerce that China has maintained the status of Africa's largest partner for 15 consecutive years. In 2023, the amount of Central Africa will reach a historical peak of 282.1 billion US dollars, a year-on-year increase of 15%。
According to Jiang Wei, director of the Department of West Asia and Africa of the Ministry of Commerce, economic and trade cooperation is the "ballast stone" and "propeller" of China-Africa relations. Driven by the practical measures taken by the previous sessions of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, China-Africa economic and trade cooperation has always maintained strong vitality and achieved fruitful results.
The scale of China-Africa has reached new highs, and the structure has been continuously optimized. Agricultural products imported from Africa became the bright spot of growth. In 2023, China's imports of nuts, vegetables, flowers, and fruits from Africa will increase by % and 7% year-on-year, respectively. Mechanical and electrical products have become the "main force" of exports to Africa, and the exports of new energy vehicles, lithium batteries and photovoltaic products have increased by % and 57% year-on-year, strongly supporting the transformation of green energy in Africa.
China-Africa investment cooperation has grown steadily. China is the largest developing country in terms of investment in Africa. By the end of 2022, China's stock of FDI in Africa exceeded US$40 billion. In 2023, China's direct investment in Africa will continue to grow. The industrial agglomeration effect of China-Egypt TEDA Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone, Hisense South Africa Industrial Park, Nigeria Lekki Free Trade Zone and other parks continues to appear, attracting a number of Chinese-funded enterprises to invest in Africa, covering building materials, automobiles, home appliances, agricultural products processing and other fields.
China-Africa cooperation in infrastructure construction has achieved remarkable results. Africa is China's second largest overseas contracted project market, with a cumulative contracted project value of more than US$700 billion and a turnover of more than US$400 billion, and a number of landmark projects and "small but beautiful" projects in the fields of transportation, energy, electricity, housing and people's livelihood. Landmark projects such as the Africa Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the Lower Kaifu Gap Hydropower Station in Zambia, and the Fangjani Bridge in Senegal have been completed one after another, which has effectively promoted local economic and social development.
Momentum for China-Africa cooperation in emerging fields has been accumulated. Cooperation in emerging fields such as digital economy, green and low-carbon, aerospace and financial services has been continuously expanded, injecting new vitality into China-Africa economic and trade cooperation. China and Africa have joined hands to expand cooperation on "Silk Road E-commerce", successfully held the African Good Things Online Shopping Festival, and implemented the African "100 Stores and 1000 Products on the Platform" action, driving Chinese enterprises to actively contribute to the development of e-commerce, mobile payment, entertainment and other industries in Africa. China has signed civil air transport agreements with 27 African countries, and has successfully built and launched meteorological and telecommunications satellites for Algeria, Nigeria and other countries.
Not long ago, the "Overall Plan for the Construction of China-Africa Economic and Trade In-depth Cooperation Pilot Zone" was officially issued with the approval of the first country, actively supporting Hunan Province to build a China-Africa Economic and Trade In-depth Cooperation Pilot Zone, which has become another major event in the development of China-Africa economic and trade cooperation. "In the past three years, the province has maintained an average annual growth rate of 231% of the rapid development momentum. Advantageous industries such as equipment manufacturing, energy and mining, road and bridge housing construction, and agricultural development have entered Africa together, and technologies and products such as hybrid rice and construction machinery have enjoyed popularity in Africa. Guo Ning, deputy director of the Hunan Provincial Department of Commerce, said that Hunan is stepping up the introduction of implementation plans and supporting policies, focusing on China-Africa investment, production capacity cooperation, digital economy, international logistics, cultural and tourism exchanges and other fields to create a benchmark demonstration, improve the long-term mechanism of economic and trade cooperation and exchanges with Africa.
Jiang Wei said that China will continue to uphold the concept of sincerity, sincerity, amity and sincerity and the correct concept of justice and shared interests, and work with Africa to give full play to the leading role of the Pilot Zone, lead the transformation and upgrading of China-Africa economic and trade cooperation, improve quality and efficiency, and better benefit the Chinese and African people.
Wang Junling. **People** Overseas Edition.