What China really wants from Africa in new era of global trade
The head of the permanent mission of China to the World Trade Organization (WTO), Li Yongjie, speaks during the 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14) in Yaoundé. PHOTO | COURTESY
Josephine Christopher is a senior business journalist for The Citizen and Mwananchi newspapers
Mwananchi Communications Limitted
Yaoundé. As Tanzania pushes to industrialise and expand exports, China is signalling a shift in how it wants to engage with Africa—placing less emphasis on traditional infrastructure deals and more on production, market access and integration into global value chains.
Speaking during the 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14) of the World Trade Organization(WTO) last week, head of the permanent mission of China to the WTO, Li Yongjie, outlined a strategy that aligns with Africa’s broader ambition to move beyond raw commodity exports.
