Cooperation ties between China and Africa have grown significantly in recent years.

China’s relations with Africa have never been so good like in the last decade with President Hu Jintao visiting 18 countries in four outings. Similarly, other senior Chinese officials, including the President of the Permanent Committee of the National Popular Assembly, Wu Bangguo and Prime Minister Wen Jiabao, have also visited the continent.

Some 30 African Heads of State and Governments and 20 Speakers of Parliament have visited China between 2007 and 2011. Apart from state-to state relations, China also maintains good relations with the African Union. Earlier this year, the new AU Conference Centre and headquarter building in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, was commissioned. The construction of the structures was entirely funded by China.

In order to boost cooperation, the China-Africa Cooperation Forum was created in 2000. During the 2006 Beijing Summit, both sides agreed a new strategic partnership based on mutual confidence and win-win basis. China’s cooperation ties with Africa have witnessed tremendous growth over the last decade than at any other time. It has since become the continent’s leading trade partner since 2009. Linked by one flight a week in 2000, 28 African airlines today operate direct flights to China.

In 2011, trade between the two sides stood at 166.3 billion dollars (about FCFA 89,637 billion) – 16 times higher than in 2000. On the other hand, African exports increased from 5.6 billion dollars (about FCFA 3,018 billion) in 2000 to 93.2 billion (about FCFA 52,242 billion) in 2011. Direct Chinese investments on the continent that stood at 500 million dollars (about FCFA 270 billion) 10 years ago, rose to 15.3 billion dollars (about FCFA 8,245 billion) in April 2012. Today, 2,000 Chinese companies operate in 50 African countries. Thousands of individual Chinese traders and business people now ply their trade on the continent.

All African debts were in 2009 cancelled and more than 30 Chinese agricultural missions sent to the continent. More than eight billion dollars (about FCFA 4,310 billion) in preferential loans were granted. Since 2006, China has regularly increased its aid, interest-free loans and preferential loans as well as training 30,000 Africans of all categories in different skills. All African countries that have diplomatic relations with China have been enjoying total customs exemption for 60 per cent of their exports to China.

Cultural exchanges focus on Chinese and African cultures. More than 10,000 Africans study in China each year on their own while more than 5,000 are granted Chinese government scholarships a year. An increasing number of Africans now live and work in China; with some becoming television and sport stars highly appreciated by the Chinese public.

China in the next three years will grant 20 billion dollars (about FCFA 10,776 billion) in loans to Africa in the priority areas of infrastructure development, agriculture, manufacturing and Small and Medium-size enterprise development. An African talents development programme is to be put in place whereby 30,000 people will be trained in various areas. A total 18,000 additional scholarships are to be granted while 1,500 more medical doctors will be deployed on the continent.