The Founder and Executive Director of the Africa-China Centre for Policy and Advisory (ACCPA), Paul Frimpong, delivered a speech on ‘Why China Became Africa’s Perfect Partner’ at this year’s China-Africa Think Tanks Forum.
Paul Frimpong, ACCPA’s Executive Director delivering his speech during the sub-forum at the 12th China-Africa Think Tanks Forum 2023 in Jinhua, China.
He was among Africa-China scholars and researchers to participate in the “Seminar on Chinese Modernization and Africa’s Development” hosted by the Zhejiang Normal University.
He delivered the speech in the sub-forum during the 12th Meeting of the China-Africa Think Tanks Forum 2023 held in Jinhua City, Zhejiang Province, China.
The China-Africa Think Tanks Forum is an initiative launched by the Institute of African Studies at Zhejiang Normal University (IASZNU) in October 2011 to create a platform for dialogue and exchanges between Chinese and African think tanks. After eleven years of unremitting efforts, CATTF has successfully held eleven sessions in Africa and China.
According to Paul Frimpong, what’s making the relationship between Africa and China enviable and talked about globally can be linked to when China showed up to support the continent when all hopes were lost.
“What is making the relationship between China and Africa grow positively can be linked to when China showed up at the continent’s lowest point.”
“I will share some key highlights on the significance of the timing of China’s reinvigorated investment boom on the African continent. This set the path that has accelerated win-win cooperation between Africa and China.”
“The significance of when China showed up in Africa to provide the needed support has often been overlooked. More often than not, it’s lost completely in the Africa-China debate, and that is very intriguing.” he said
He further remarked that when, in the 1990s, the continent was experiencing civil wars, dealing with disease burdens, and facing a debt crisis as a result of the Structural Adjustment Programs of the World Bank, the Western traditional partners blatantly ignored the continent and did not perceive Africa as a place to do business or invest.
‘The case of China is not the same”. “In the year 2000, the entire African continent was labeled as “the hopeless continent” by Western actors. It was within the same year, in October, to be specific, that the first Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) was held,”
he added.
He concluded by reaffirming what were generally the sentiments shared by participants during the forum. “The growing momentum of mutual cooperation between Africa and China is not changing anytime soon.”
High level global delegates at the 12th Meeting of the China-Africa Think Tanks Forum, Jinhua, China 2023
Source. www.africachinacentre.org