2025 marks the 25th anniversary of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), a platform that has transformed from a diplomatic framework into a comprehensive engine for economic, trade, and investment collaboration between China and Africa. Over this quarter-century, China-Africa trade surged nearly 27-fold, from $10.6 billion in 2000 to $295.6 billion in 2024, making China Africa’s largest trading partner for 16 consecutive years.

FOCAC's journey can be traced through four defining stages.

1. Founding Stage (2000): Initially a diplomatic arrangement, FOCAC aimed to strengthen China-Africa relations through dialogue. Its first ministerial meeting laid the groundwork for partnership-building.

2. Strategic Partnership (2006): The Beijing Summit elevated relations to a “strategic partnership,” creating structured mechanisms for cooperation across sectors.

3. Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (2015): By the Johannesburg Summit, FOCAC expanded into a full-fledged comprehensive strategic partnership with all 53 African countries, becoming a key multilateral tool alongside the African Union.

4. Mature Implementation (2025): With China's continued investment growth and diversified cooperation, the forum has matured into a platform generating tangible economic benefits, local employment, and technological development.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who has upheld a tradition of annual visits to Africa for 35 years, highlighted that these long-term engagements reinforce trust and continuity—unprecedented in international diplomacy. In early 2025, his visits to Namibia, Congo, Chad, and Nigeria exemplified FOCAC's ongoing commitment.

China's investment in Africa has grown steadily from $800 million in 2003 to $3.96 billion in 2023, with a cumulative stock of $42.11 billion. Beyond mining, Chinese companies now invest in manufacturing, automotive, mobile devices, new energy, and pharmaceuticals. Industrial zones such as Nigeria's Lekki Free Trade Zone and Egypt's TEDA Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone have created clusters that generate employment, tax revenue, and supply chain linkages.

Examples illustrate the impact on local economies:

• Kribi Deep Seaport, Cameroon: Completed in February 2025 with a second-phase investment of $498 million, the port improves efficiency, facilitates trade, and creates jobs.

• Zhongda Ghana Limited: Operating two assembly plants and eight sales outlets, it produces heavy trucks and light vehicles, providing employment to over 500 people while serving regional logistics needs.

• Nigeria's Automotive Market: Chinese brands dominate light vehicle and micro-truck segments, enabling distribution in urban and small-scale markets inaccessible to heavy trucks.

These cases demonstrate how FOCAC fosters mutually beneficial cooperation: Chinese capital and expertise support local industrialization, while African markets provide growth opportunities and talent development.

China has actively eased African market access. A green channel streamlines agricultural exports, while zero-tariff policies for least-developed countries have expanded to cover all 53 African diplomatic partners. Chinese imports of African agricultural products rose from $190 million in 2000 to $5.3 billion in 2024. This shift opens China’s vast consumer market to distinctive African goods, from cocoa and coffee to tropical fruits, creating sustainable revenue streams.