China has moved towards further cementing her economic ties with Africa as the imports into the Asian country from the African continent reached US$50.2 billion between January and May this year.

Speaking at the 11th Meeting of the China-Africa Think Tanks Forum with theme: “Promoting the Spirit of China-Africa Friendship and Cooperation with Joint Action on the Global Development Initiative”, the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of China, Deng Li disclosed that: “From January to May this year, China’s imports from Africa reached US$50.2 billion, a year-on-year increase of nearly 20%.”

The Minister who delivered the welcome address at the occasion held at the Zhongliu Hall of the Chinese Academy of History in Beijing, said: “China has established the first batch of 4 joint centers for China-Africa modern agricultural technology exchange demonstration and training, signed a number of protocols for the export of African agricultural products to China.”

He noted that this is done through the green channel for African agricultural products to China, adding that the 4th Double Product Online Shopping Festival and the African Good Things Online Shopping Festival has received enthusiastic social media responses.

In his remarks via online platform, Nigeria’s former Minister of Defence and Founder and Patron of Gusau Institute, Lt. Gen. Aliyu Gusau (rtd.) noted that the organisation of the event comprising intellectuals, academics, experts, and policy formulators, was timely given the increasingly significant role China-Africa relations has assumed in the development trajectory of African countries and communities.

He said: “It is very important for fora such as this to pause and take a critical look at the roles of both Chinese and African governments and institutions to detect and address policy defects, weaknesses, and errors, but also to appreciate progress.”

He added that: “It is to China’s credit that it has placed Sino-African relations as an important component of its international relations and cooperation policy. Gusau Institute recognizes the importance of the role that China plays and that is why, in collaboration with the Zhejiang Normal University, we instituted biennial bilateral conferences to examine issues of mutual interest to China and Africa.”

He noted that: “Relations with the People’s Republic of China (PRC), at present, are the most significant strategic link for almost all African countries, and particularly for most sub-Saharan states, because they represent a qualitative difference from past experiences. This is not merely because of the high levels of investment by China in Africa, but because the links do not mirror historical prejudices or expectations.”

He said: “In addition, the important advances China has recorded over the past few decades in economic and political development, poverty alleviation, as well as technological and military advancement are unprecedented in history in terms of rapidity and success. It provides a sound model for developing states to follow.

“Nonetheless, there are also room for improvement regarding effective collaboration between China and Africa in several areas.”

The retired Army general said: “In the security sphere, there is great appreciation for the more than 40,000 Chinese peacekeepers who have served on 24 UN missions, mainly in Africa, since the first deployment in 1989. China has an opportunity to be a positive force for peace, stability, and development, but I would like to emphasize that African citizens should be at the centre of these engagements.”

He said: “In our view, given the tremendous development of relations, especially in the economic sector, the security cooperation between China and African countries has not been given the level of attention required to enable African states improve their capacity to deal with the threats they are facing. Africa and China need to focus greater attention on the causes of conflicts. These include natural phenomena such as the effects of climate change and desertification.

“One issue in our region that deserves mention is the receding Lake Chad which has brought about displacement of communities, large scale poverty, and armed conflict.

“The security threats fuelled by religious extremism, banditry, piracy, etc. are posing existential threats to many African countries. These threats are also endangering the safety of the growing number of Chinese citizens who are involved in development projects on the Continent. As an example, in Nigeria a particular bandit is fast gaining a reputation as an expert in the kidnapping of Chinese citizens for ransom. Many projects that require Chinese expertise are now negatively affected by this emerging phenomenon.”

He said: “African states are also becoming more sophisticated in their battlespace management and require access to greater real-time reconnaissance and communications capabilities. Similarly, several of the bigger African economies would benefit from technology transfer to create self-sustaining ordnance and defence support capabilities. We need to know to what extent China can support these needs.”