Building together for the future

A1 This trend will continue because China-Africa economic collaboration is proceeding in a sound, inclusive and sustainable manner. China has helped set a solid foundation for industrialization in the continent by improving infrastructure facilities in African countries. And the prospects of turning Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and South Sudan, and Ethiopia into the main artery of communication connecting East Africa are important to regional economic integration.

A2 The three main obstacles to Africa's development are: 1. Infrastructure. The lack of infrastructure connectivity between African countries has led to severely hampered intra-African trade and the difficulty of forming regional markets. 2. Institutions. The natural evolution of most African countries has been disrupted under the influence of Western colonization. 3. Security. Conflicts between African countries are more prevalent than anywhere else.
At the institutional level, African countries should pay attention to creating and building good governance, including sound legal systems and efficient and clean governments.

A3 To increase food supply in Africa, its agriculture needs to be modernized in two ways.

First, on the technical level: given the diversity and complexity of the existing land system, it is difficult to carry out large-scale integration on the existing small-scale peasant economy.

Second, the government should adjust policies, reduce agricultural taxes, encourage the distribution of agricultural products and provide tax reductions and exemptions on fertilizers, agricultural power and machinery supply.

Third, farms should be set up on all newly opened land.

A4 Africa must have a thorough understanding of its own conditions, identify its position in industrial development, learn to make the best use of comparative advantage and promote its industrial development process through differentiated development policies.

African countries need to adjust existing policies and create a policy environment that is conducive to industrial development and effectively attracts investment.

A5 China should encourage companies to take part in Africa's industrialization and to increase investment rather than pursuing increased China-Africa trade as a single objective.

E-commerce in Africa is forecast to be worth as much as $75 billion a year within the next 10 years. The development of cross-border e-commerce in China and Africa has great potential. Building a virtual large market through the internet would aptly meet the needs of both China and Africa and increase market opportunities for both countries.

Liu Litao, associate professor of the School of International Relations at Nanjing University