Why the 20th CPC Congress has implications for Africa 

Published: October 16,2022

By Gerald Mbanda

The 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), that starts today at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, is not only an important meeting for China and the Chinese people alone, but it also has implications to Africa as well as the world at large. 

The cooperation between China and Africa in the past decades has been growing especially through the Forum for China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). China and Africa have a good working relationship on peaceand development, and the 20^th National CPC Congress is expected to deepen the comprehensive strategic partnership for the benefit of the people of Africa and China.

China-Africa cooperation over the years has produced positive results. For example,  The resolutions of the eighth edition of FOCAC that took place in Dakar, Senegal, from 29-30 November 2021 under the theme “Deepen China-Africa Partnership and Promote Sustainable Development to Build a China-Africa Community with a Shared Future in the New Era, ”are already in the implementing phase, and several  projects have been completed improving greatly Africa’s infrastructure to facilitate both intra and eternal trade as well as industrialization. For example, the Foundiougne Bridge in Senegal, the Nairobi Expressway, the Kribi-Lolabe Highway in Cameroon, and the 10th of Ramadan LRT in Egypt. All these have lent a strong boost to Africa’s industrialization process. 

Projects under the Belt and Road initiative (BRI) have also complimented African Union Agenda 2063, aswell as the national development strategies of African countries. Additionally, China and Africa jointly formulated the China-Africa Cooperation Vision 2035 to determine the directions and objectives of mid- and long-term cooperation and promote a closer community with a shared future for China and Africa. African countries are looking forward to the CPC Congress with optimism to strengthen the cooperation under FOCAC and BRI. 

China is taking a leading role in shaping world affairs advocating for global peace and stability, sharedprosperity, win-win cooperation, mutual respect, multilateralism and rule based international order.  As poor and developing countries were isolated for lack of COVID-19 vaccines, China took the lead to share with the global south the much needed vaccines at a time developed countries were hording more than they needed. Africa and the global south expect this cooperation that treasures humanity to be on the agenda for the 20th CPC Congress.       

Last year, China announced the elimination of absolute poverty, after lifting millions of people out of poverty. African countries are on the same path of fighting poverty and China is a role model. As the 20^thCongress is expected to focus on strategies towards achieving the second centenary goal of “building a modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced and harmonious,” the strategies will provide learning experience for African countries’ development aspirations.  

The CPC Congress is happening at a time world economies chocking with skyrocketing commodity prices and economists warn of a likely recession in the near future.  In a study published in mid-September, the World Bank warned that as central banks across the world simultaneously hike interest rates in response to inflation, the world may be edging toward a global recession in 2023, with a growth forecast of only 0.5 percent.

The economies of almost the whole world were affected by the impact of   COVID-19 pandemic as well as the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. China is world number one manufacturing country and the second largest world economy.  The CPC Congress is expected to deliberate on measures aimed at stabilizing the economy. According to data published by the United Nations Statistics Division, China accounted for 28.7 percent of global manufacturing output in 2019. That puts the country more than 10 percentage points ahead of the United States, which used to have the world’s largest manufacturing sector until China overtook it in 2010. 

The CPC Congress is therefore, expected to take measures meant to stabilize the economy of China, which will have an effect on other world countries that trade with China. China is number one trading partner with Africa which means that what affects China’s economy also has a direct impact on African countries. 

Gerald Mbanda is a Researcher and publisher on China and Africa.  

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