Interview: Sincere cooperation between Africa, China yields tangible benefits, shared progress -- expert

This photo taken on May 23, 2023 shows a platform of the Mombasa-Nairobi Railway in Nairobi, Kenya. The Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway in Kenya has become a flagship project of China-Africa cooperation, a "business card" of Chinese enterprises and a demonstration project of the Belt and Road Initiative. (Xinhua/Wang Guansen)

China's sincere cooperation with African countries has yielded tangible and positive outcomes that foster mutual benefits and shared progress.

LUANDA, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- China's sincere cooperation with African countries yields "tangible and positive outcomes" that foster mutual benefits and shared progress, said an Angolan expert.

During its cooperation with Africa, China has established essential infrastructural foundations for economic and social development across the continent, leading to industrialization and enhancing the continent's commercial value, said Osvaldo Mboco, an expert in international relations at the Technical University of Angola, in a written interview with Xinhua following the China-Africa Leaders' Dialogue held on Thursday in South Africa.

"China, in recent times, has become the leading economic and financial partner for African nations. Beyond laying down infrastructural frameworks, the country sees the African continent as a promising business market, going beyond its role as a mere source of raw materials," Mboco said.

Angola has now emerged as a pivotal market in Africa, experiencing a growing influx of Chinese enterprises establishing or planning to establish industrial production facilities and assembly lines, said the expert, adding that these Chinese companies are helping create employment opportunities for the local Angolan population.

Chinese instructor Jiang Liping (R) and apprentice Horace Owiti walk past a train carriage on the Mombasa-Nairobi Railway in Nairobi, Kenya, May 23, 2023.  (Xinhua/Wang Guansen)

According to data from the Chinese Embassy in Angola, in recent years, Chinese companies, by renovating or constructing 2,800 km of railways, 20,000 km of roads, over 100 schools, 50 hospitals, and more than 100,000 social housing units, have contributed to Angola's progress.

Chinese goods have gained significant popularity in the Angolan market, resulting in mutual trade and investment benefits for both nations.

Regarding the potential direction of China-Africa cooperation, Mboco envisions a trajectory towards high technology, with a particular focus on imminent areas such as artificial intelligence, space technology, and related domains.

"China boasts an exceedingly advanced technological landscape. It stands out among nations with substantial technological advancements," he said, adding that China and other countries can help with Africa's technological progress.