China-Africa trade shifting toward more diversified, high value-added model

CHANGSHA - China-Africa trade is undergoing a profound transformation from a traditional resource-based model to one that is more diversified, high value-added and technology-intensive, according to a document released Friday at the ongoing China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo.

The Blue Book of China-Africa Economic and Trade Cooperation: Development Report (2025) highlights expanding cooperation in sectors such as industry, agriculture, telecommunications, digital economy, new infrastructure, green energy and financial services.

Agricultural trade between China and Africa is transitioning from raw material exports to processed goods, cooperation in digital and technology-related services is gaining traction, and cross-border e-commerce is playing a growing role alongside traditional trade channels, said the document.

These developments are driven by Africa's push for industrialization, China's economic upgrading, and the continued influence of the Belt and Road Initiative, it said.

Infrastructure cooperation has expanded steadily, with projects covering sectors such as transport, energy and communications. Broader partnerships have also formed in education, agriculture, healthcare and green development, supported by maturing policy frameworks, trade pacts and financing tools, it said.

The document, jointly released by organizations including the China-Africa Economic and Trade Promotion Council, the Department of Commerce of Hunan Province, and the China Economic Information Service, made use of both public data and field research.

It features a specific annual theme that reflects key developments and challenges in China-Africa trade, and aims to provide actionable recommendations for future cooperation.

The fourth China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo is being held in Changsha, capital of central China's Hunan Province. Nearly 4,700 Chinese and African companies as well as over 30,000 participants are attending the four-day event, themed "China and Africa: Together Toward Modernization."

Economic and trade cooperation between China and Africa has demonstrated strong vitality, with a rapid increase in trade value over the past 25 years, official data showed.

China's total trade with African countries increased from less than 100 billion yuan (about $13.9 billion) in 2000 to 2.1 trillion yuan in 2024, marking an average annual growth of 14.2 percent, according to the General Administration of Customs.

China and Africa, as the largest developing country and the continent with the highest concentration of developing countries, respectively, are jointly exploring new frontiers in South-South cooperation, said Xu Xiangping, head of the China-Africa Economic and Trade Promotion Council.

Xu added that China-Africa trade has repeatedly reached new levels, with notable developments including expansion in scale, structural upgrades and growing investment across industrial chains and emerging sectors.