China and Africa Unite Behind a Stronger Global South Voice and Shared Development Future
China and Africa are deepening a shared vision for a stronger, more representative and development-focused Global South, with Beijing encouraging African countries to play an increasingly influential role in shaping the future of global governance.
The latest call for closer cooperation emerged from Kenya, where Chinese Ambassador to Kenya Guo Haiyan urged China and Africa to work together to strengthen the voice and representation of developing countries in international affairs.
The ambassador’s message comes at a time when African countries are increasingly seeking a greater role in global decision-making, particularly on issues affecting development finance, trade, technology, climate change and international governance.
Rather than being simply a diplomatic debate, the emerging China-Africa partnership is increasingly centred on a practical question: how can developing countries work together to create more opportunities for economic growth, modernisation and shared prosperity?
According to The Star of Kenya, Ambassador Guo called for greater representation of the Global South and reforms to the international economic and financial system, including increased development financing.
China and Africa: partners in the rise of the Global South
China and Africa have increasingly presented their relationship as one based on South-South cooperation, mutual development and shared interests.
The 2025 China-Africa Changsha Declaration, adopted by China, 53 African countries and the African Union Commission, described China and Africa as important members of the Global South and called for stronger solidarity and cooperation among developing countries.
The declaration also identified science and technology, artificial intelligence, e-commerce, green industry, finance and skills development as important areas for deeper China-Africa cooperation.
This provides a much broader picture of the relationship than traditional trade statistics alone.
China-Africa cooperation is increasingly extending into digital technology, industrialisation, agriculture, education, healthcare, infrastructure, green development and human-capital development.
A partnership built around Africa’s development ambitions
The relationship also aligns with the African Union’s Agenda 2063, which sets out Africa’s long-term ambition of building a prosperous, integrated and peaceful continent.
The 2024 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Beijing Action Plan for 2025-2027 explicitly links China-Africa cooperation with Agenda 2063 and the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The document says China and African countries will strengthen cooperation based on the principles of planning together, building together and benefiting together.
This approach places African development priorities at the centre of the partnership.
For African countries, the attraction is not only China’s enormous market, but also the potential for cooperation in areas such as manufacturing, infrastructure, agricultural modernisation, technology and skills.
Trade opportunities are expanding
One of the most significant developments in China-Africa economic relations is China’s expansion of preferential market access for African products.
Under the commitments contained in the Changsha Declaration, China expressed its readiness to expand zero-tariff treatment to 100% of tariff lines for all 53 African countries with which it has diplomatic relations, subject to the conclusion of the relevant economic partnership arrangements.
For African producers, this creates opportunities to expand exports into one of the world’s largest consumer markets.
The potential sectors are wide-ranging, including agriculture, processed food, manufactured products and other goods that can meet Chinese market standards.
For countries such as South Africa, this creates an important opportunity to strengthen agricultural and industrial exports while developing new commercial partnerships with Chinese companies and consumers.
The bigger opportunity, however, lies in moving from exporting commodities towards greater value addition and industrial production within Africa.
Technology and AI emerge as the next frontier
Perhaps one of the most exciting areas of China-Africa cooperation is technology.
The Changsha Declaration specifically identifies artificial intelligence, science and technology, e-commerce and e-payment as priority areas for cooperation.
This is significant because Africa has a young and increasingly digitally connected population.
Greater cooperation in AI, telecommunications, digital payments, cloud computing, e-commerce and technical education could help African economies participate more actively in the digital economy.
The partnership could also create opportunities for African universities, technology companies, entrepreneurs and young innovators to participate in international technology networks.
For South Africa, which has ambitions to strengthen its position as a technology and innovation hub, these developments could open additional avenues for cooperation with Chinese technology companies and research institutions.
China’s Global Development Initiative adds momentum
The China-Africa partnership is also connected to China’s Global Development Initiative (GDI), which Beijing presents as a framework for accelerating implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
The FOCAC Beijing Action Plan links the GDI with Africa’s development priorities and calls for cooperation in poverty reduction, agriculture, healthcare, rural development, education, green development and technology.
China’s development cooperation model has increasingly focused on combining infrastructure, skills, technology and economic activity.
This creates the possibility of moving beyond individual projects towards broader development ecosystems in which infrastructure supports manufacturing, manufacturing creates employment, and improved connectivity expands access to markets.
Africa’s voice in global governance
The governance discussion is another important pillar.
The FOCAC Beijing Action Plan explicitly supports greater African participation in global governance and calls for increased representation of African and developing countries in international institutions.
It specifically supports reform of the United Nations and its Security Council and recognises Africa’s aspiration for stronger representation.
This position closely intersects with the African Union’s longstanding call for reform of global institutions.
For Africa, greater representation could mean having a stronger role in decisions concerning international peace and security, development financing, international trade and other issues that directly affect the continent.
China’s support therefore gives an additional diplomatic dimension to Africa’s campaign for greater representation.
Nairobi’s role in Africa’s international diplomacy
Kenya is particularly well placed to contribute to this conversation.
Nairobi is home to the United Nations’ major headquarters in Africa and has developed into an important centre for international diplomacy, development cooperation and environmental affairs.
The latest China-Kenya discussions have therefore highlighted the importance of strengthening Nairobi’s role in multilateral affairs.
China and Kenya have also been discussing closer cooperation under China’s Global Development Initiative and Global Governance Initiative, with officials and experts from both countries supporting greater participation by developing nations in international decision-making.
FOCAC provides the platform
At the heart of China-Africa cooperation is the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, which has developed into one of the world’s most extensive platforms for South-South cooperation.
The 2024 FOCAC Beijing Summit brought together China, 53 African countries and the African Union Commission.
The resulting Beijing Action Plan contains extensive commitments covering trade, industrialisation, infrastructure, healthcare, agriculture, green development, education, technology, security and people-to-people exchanges.
The plan describes FOCAC as an important platform for China-Africa cooperation and sets out a three-year programme aimed at advancing modernisation and building a higher-level China-Africa community with a shared future.
South Africa has an important role
For South Africa, the developments have particular significance.
As a major African economy and a longstanding participant in BRICS and FOCAC, South Africa has considerable interest in strengthening cooperation among developing countries.
The country has consistently supported greater African representation in international institutions while also promoting stronger economic ties between Africa and major emerging economies.
South Africa can potentially benefit from expanding cooperation with China in areas including manufacturing, renewable energy, agriculture, digital technology, infrastructure, education and trade.
The country’s position within both African and broader Global South forums also gives it an opportunity to help connect African development priorities with wider South-South cooperation.
A new chapter for China-Africa relations
The latest discussions in Kenya demonstrate that China-Africa relations are moving into an increasingly broad and ambitious phase.
The relationship is no longer defined only by infrastructure projects or bilateral trade.
It is increasingly about modernisation, industrialisation, technology, skills, market access, development finance, global governance and people-to-people cooperation.
China’s message to Africa is that the continent should have a stronger voice in shaping the international system.
Africa’s response is increasingly focused on using international partnerships to advance its own development priorities.
The combination creates considerable potential.
If successfully implemented, stronger China-Africa cooperation could help African businesses access new markets, support industrialisation, expand technological capabilities, strengthen skills development and give African countries additional platforms through which to advance their interests internationally.
The bigger story, therefore, is not simply China calling for a stronger African voice.
It is the emergence of China and Africa working together as major members of the Global South to promote development, modernisation and a more inclusive international conversation.
As the world economy undergoes profound technological and geopolitical changes, the China-Africa partnership is positioning itself around a simple but increasingly influential principle: development opportunities should be expanded through cooperation, mutual benefit and greater participation by developing countries.
For Africa, that could make the coming years particularly important as the continent seeks to transform its economic potential into greater industrial capacity, technological capability and international influence.