Africa -China Review Africa -China Cooperation and Transformation
By Li Yujie
Published: January 07,2025
January 6 marks the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Botswana. Over the past five decades, the two countries have always been close partners, united by mutual trust, shared development and strong people-to-people connections, with the bilateral relationship making significant progress.
In 2021, China and Botswana signed a memorandum of understanding for cooperation on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), with Botswana becoming the 46th African country to partner with China in this endeavor. In September 2024, the two countries established a strategic partnership. According to China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, bilateral trade reached $419 million in the first half of 2024, marking a 12.5 percent year-on-year increase. Furthermore, China and Botswana have engaged in pragmatic cooperation in areas such as infrastructure, healthcare and cultural exchanges, yielding fruitful results.
The foundation of the healthy development of China-Botswana relations through the decades lies in the two countries’ long-standing friendship, with both sides consistently offering sincere support to one another. This foundation is also rooted in their commitment to solidarity and cooperation as the cornerstone of their policies, prioritizing the well-being of their peoples and working together for mutual development.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, at the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in Beijing, quoted an African proverb: “A friend is someone you share the path with,” to describe the China-Africa friendly relationship. Likewise, Botswana’s President Mokgweetsi Masisi referred to China as Botswana’s “true friend” during a media interview.
True friendship is the most fitting description of China-Botswana relations over the past 50 years – a period marked by common challenges and mutual support. For example, during critical moments in Botswana’s fight against colonialism, apartheid and racial discrimination, China extended a helping hand. In 1971, when China sought to restore its lawful seat at the United Nations, Botswana, standing firm against Western pressure, cast its vote in favor of China, although the two countries had not yet established diplomatic ties.
Moreover, true friendship is most evident when one acts in times of urgent need. In response to the most pressing medical needs, China has sent 17 medical teams to Botswana since 1981, treating over 2 million patients and providing vital assistance to strengthen the country’s healthcare system, particularly in combating diseases like HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis.
Most notably, during the COVID-19 pandemic, China was the first to offer aid to Botswana, donating multiple batches of medical supplies to ease the immediate crisis. Throughout this period, China’s medical teams stood side by side with local people, working together to fight the pandemic and sharing valuable experiences in pandemic control, demonstrating the sincere friendship between the two countries.
In addition, true friendship is built on shared values and common goals. In the journey of modernization, Beijing and Gaborone are not only partners in development but also fellow travelers on the road to revitalization.
Botswana, a vast, sparsely populated and arid landlocked country, was once one of the world’s poorest countries, with a per capita income of only $70 per year when it gained independence in 1966. However, it quickly transformed into one of Africa’s fastest-growing economies, largely driven by its diamond industry. Botswana even ascended to the ranks of upper-middle-income countries and became a “model country of development” for Africa.
The key to Botswana’s rapid growth lies in its ability to chart a development path tailored to its own national conditions, along with a sound governance system and economic policies. Similarly, China, after decades of tireless effort, transformed from a country of poverty and underdevelopment into the world’s second-largest economy, forging a path of modernization unique to China and creating a miracle in the human history of modernization.
Although both countries have made remarkable progress on their respective paths of modernization, Beijing and Gaborone also face the challenge of balancing ecological sustainability with long-term socio-economic development.
This calls for the continued deepening of cooperation between the two countries in areas such as industry, agriculture, mining, clean energy, education and healthcare. Together, they aim to build a modernized future based on fairness, openness, mutual benefits, people-centered values, inclusivity, ecological balance, peace and security.
China-Botswana cooperation aligns perfectly not only with the African Union’s Agenda 2063 but also Botswana’s Vision 2036, which aims to transform the country from an upper-middle-income country into a high-income country by 2036. To achieve the vision of shared prosperity, it outlines four key strategic pillars: sustainable economic development, social and human development, environmental sustainability and governance, and peace and security.
These pillars closely mirror the principles behind Chinese modernization. Given this, China and Botswana should strengthen governance exchanges and work together to achieve more concrete results in various fields, ultimately bringing greater benefits to their peoples.
The momentum of Beijing-Gaborone cooperation is growing stronger, bringing tangible benefits to both countries while also providing a crucial impetus for broader China-Africa cooperation. Marking the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic relations, China and Botswana, as true friends, will open a new chapter in their friendship and drive the further development of bilateral ties.
Li Yujie, is a special commentator on current affairs for CGTN, is an associate research fellow at the Institute of West-Asian and African Studies under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
cgtn.com
