Policymakers and businesses reassess partnership priorities following meetings

Policymakers and businesses across Africa have kept a close eye on China's annual two sessions of the country's top legislature and political advisory body, assessing how Beijing's economic priorities could shape future cooperation in trade, investment and industrial development.

The policy agenda outlined at the meetings, which concluded last week, comes at a time of shifting global trade patterns and growing competition for investment, prompting African governments to reassess development strategies and partnership priorities.

Experts said the policies on manufacturing, technology and green industries are particularly relevant as the continent seeks to move beyond commodity-driven trade and strengthen regional value chains.

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Carlos Lopes, a professor at the Nelson Mandela School of Public Governance at the University of Cape Town in South Africa, said the policy signals emerging from China's two sessions are important for Africa but should be viewed within the broader context of global economic restructuring.

While China remains one of Africa's most significant economic partners, the key question for the continent is how it positions itself within the evolving relationship, Lopes said.

With China reiterating free trade, African countries can take the opportunities to expand economic ties with the world's biggest market, he said.

However, they should build stronger productive and industrial capacities, so favorable policies from China — such as implementing zero tariffs for 53 African countries — will not have just limited effect on the fundamental structure of Africa-China trade relations, he added.

Beyond the economic restructuring, analysts said the outcomes of the two sessions are influencing how African countries approach development partnerships and regional coordination.

Gordon K'achola, founder of the Africa Center for Diplomatic Affairs in Kenya, said the developments from the sessions could affect how African nations align their economic and foreign policy priorities.

"This is the most fundamental moment for Africa, because the signals that are being sent from Beijing are going to shape how Africa and the rest of the Global South begin to realign their policies," K'achola said.

Stronger regional coordination could help African economies maximize development opportunities, he said, noting that initiatives such as the African Continental Free Trade Area could help them present a more unified market.

"The Global South must now begin to come together so that they speak in one voice," he said, adding that infrastructure needs remain central to development priorities in many parts of the continent.

"In the end, the people in the villages will need electricity, roads, clean water and good health," he said.

Melha Rout Biel, executive director of the Institute for Strategic and Policy Studies in South Sudan, said China's emphasis on high-quality growth and domestic consumption could influence how African exporters position themselves.

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"Any products coming from Africa must be quality products in order to access the Chinese market," Biel said.

Encouraging joint ventures and the establishment of free trade zones could support industrialization and knowledge transfer, he said.

"Africa can take advantage of the new China policy of industrialization capabilities by partnering with Chinese companies and encouraging them to establish free trade zones in Africa," he said.

While opportunities for deeper cooperation in infrastructure, manufacturing and green development are likely to expand, K'achola said the long-term effects of Africa-China engagement "will depend largely on how effectively the continent strengthens productive capacity, advances regional integration and positions itself within emerging global value chains".

Contact the writers at sharon@chinadailyafrica.com