AU diplomat calls for shared value chains

China's zero-tariff treatment for 53 African countries would not only help to expand African exports but also to advance the continent's industrialization and build shared value chains with China, the African Union's top envoy in Beijing said.

"We don't just want to be exporting fruits and vegetables to China, much as that is extremely important. We also want to use this as an opportunity for us to industrialize," Alhaji Mohamed Sarjoh Bah, the African Union's permanent representative to China, told China Daily in Beijing.

The appeal comes as China and African countries mark 70 years of diplomatic relations and observe the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges.

According to Bah, the partnership, rooted in decades of solidarity and mutual respect, has developed into a dynamic relationship marked by expanding practical cooperation.

Since May 1, China has provided zero-tariff access to products from all 53 African countries with which it has diplomatic relations, becoming the first major economy to do so.

Bah described China as "one of the most lucrative markets in the world today", saying its consumer market of over 1.4 billion people and sizable middle-income group — which official figures put at more than 400 million — offered significant opportunities for African exporters.

Early trade figures show African exports gaining momentum. China imported 193.8 billion yuan ($28.85 billion) worth of goods from Africa in May and June, up 23.5 percent year-on-year, according to China's Foreign Ministry. African dried chili peppers, coffee beans, cashews and wild aquatic products have also secured regionwide market access in China.

But tariff-free access alone would not guarantee commercial success, Bah said. African exporters would need to meet Chinese product standards and sanitary requirements, understand varying consumer preferences across regions and age groups, and communicate more effectively about their products.

He noted that the policy could also create opportunities for greater Chinese investment in Africa's energy, technology, connectivity, infrastructure and agriculture, while helping African countries process more of their resources locally.

Using lithium as an example, Bah described a value chain in which some processing takes place in Africa and the rest in China, with the resulting products serving the wider global market. Such an arrangement, he said, would be "mutually reinforcing".

Deepen understanding

Alongside trade and investment, Bah said the media could help Chinese audiences better understand Africa as an investment destination and become more familiar with African products.

"Africa is no longer about charity or humanitarian affairs. Africa is about investment that will yield dividends, investment that will yield positive results," he said.

Bah also called for African and Chinese creators to jointly develop content to promote mutual understanding.

He identified artificial intelligence governance as another major area for Africa-China cooperation, warning that without proper governance, the technology could fuel misinformation and fake news.

The African Union is developing a strategy to manage and regulate AI while conducting a comprehensive assessment of the continent's interests, concerns and requirements, Bah noted.

He also called for closer coordination with China under the Global South framework, saying, "We work with China very closely, and we see what China is doing as part of the broader Global South effort to ensure that our voices are coordinated and heard very clearly."

zhaojia@chinadaily.com.cn