The FOCAC Process and Sino-African Strategic Partnership

Abstract

Historical records confirm that China’s increasing engagement with Africa through growing trade and investment has been a major boost for African economies. China’s comprehensive commitment to Africa through the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) has also made significant contribution to Africa’s overall economic development. The constructivist approach underpinning this paper suggests that FOCAC’s evolution can be positively shaped by all active participants toward increased mutual benefit and positive outcomes. With all the consensuses and commitments reached at the Johannesburg FOCAC summit (FOCAC VI) held in December 2015, a stronger Sino-African partnership is expected to take shape as both sides take efforts to enhance their win-win cooperation. The key future challenges for China and Africa are to implement the FOCAC VI Action Plan and develop a long-term FOCAC agenda which will broaden and strengthen win-win outcomes in the years to come. At the same time, Africa should try its best to ensure the successful implementation of FOCAC projects and facilitate China’s engagement, for a business-friendly environment in Africa, whether in policy, legal or social aspects, is the key to promoting the Sino-African strategic partnership and enhancing sustainable development of the African continent.

Impact of China's community of shared destiny policy (CCSDP) on development and its bearing on trade and ethnicity in Africa

“…In effect, the study upholds the null hypothesis that posits that trade has no significant effect on the mutual prosperity between China and African countries sampled. The result of the findings is inconsistent with the result of Ebrahim (2015) cited by Shelton (2016), African analysts concur with this viewpoint, arguing that improved bilateral relations and commerce between China and Africa have boosted both regions' economies.…”

“…In effect, the study upholds the null hypothesis that posits that trade has no significant effect on the mutual prosperity between China and African countries sampled. The result of the findings is inconsistent with the result of Ebrahim (2015) cited by Shelton (2016), African analysts concur with this viewpoint, arguing that improved bilateral relations and commerce between China and Africa have boosted both regions' economies.In brief, the hypothesis (hypothesis 5): Trade has no significant impact on mutual prosperity between China and Africa, was tested using the ordinary least square regression estimation technique and the hypothesis was not confirmed.…”

Higher education beyond SDG 4: China’s scholarship provision in the Global South

“…FOCAC has been holding forums and releasing action plans every 3 years since 2000. This clearly represents a shift in the ChinaÀAfrica relationship, from a socialist brotherhood to a strategic win-win relationship (Shelton, 2016). Borrowing from the ancient Chinese 'Silk Road' history, BRI was initiated in 2015, aiming to promote a wider range of cooperation among counties across Asia, Europe, and Africa.…”

The putative addressee in the persuasion of diplomatic discourse: China’s communication efforts through South African English-language newspapers

“…China’s presence and influence in Africa has been much increased, but opinions on Chinese engagement remain polarized (e.g. Corkin, 2014; Deych, 2018; Hanauer and Morris, 2014; Morgan, 2019; Shelton, 2016; Sun et al, 2017). African countries are more likely to tilt towards a more positive overall assessment, depicting it as ‘a vital source of funding for development needs’, ‘a major boost for African economies’ and ‘a case of win-win strategy’, for example, while Western countries tend to focus more on negative impacts, depicting it as ‘threatening the established order’, ‘challenging development paradigm’ and ‘practicing neo-colonialism’.…”