Africa China Capacity Building Cooperation Helps Modernize Africa | International Forum

China further expands its opening-up, providing development opportunities and opportunities for developing countries to enter the Chinese market

Since the reform and opening up, the Chinese economy has achieved miraculous rapid growth. Nowadays, China is the world's second-largest economy and an important participant in international economic cooperation, playing a crucial role in global governance. For many developing countries, China's development has provided experience and hope, and is regarded as a model worth learning from.

Capacity building is an important aspect of Africa China cooperation. The Forum on China Africa Cooperation, established in 2000, has expanded dialogue and cooperation between African countries and China on the basis of mutual respect, equality, and mutual benefit. It is an important cooperation mechanism that promotes mutual support between the two sides in their respective development processes. This cooperation mechanism covers multiple fields, including talent cultivation and construction. Through various forms such as setting up multiple scholarship programs, inviting African talents to participate in training seminars and training activities, Africa China education cooperation has flourished. Over the years, the Chinese government has repeatedly invited officials and young people from African countries to visit and investigate China, helping them understand China and its development history. These capacity building projects are crucial for sharing knowledge, exchanging experiences, and disseminating technology.

From traditional fields such as agricultural development and urban construction to high-tech fields such as 5G communication, satellite navigation, and artificial intelligence, non China human resources cooperation projects have expanded diversity and inclusiveness, demonstrating high quality and level, fully meeting the actual needs of Africa. Madagascar has benefited greatly from the education and training programs provided by the Chinese government, and a large number of personnel from various fields in Madagascar have the opportunity to go to China for training. The Beijing summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation held in September last year adopted the Forum on China Africa Cooperation - Beijing Action Plan (2025-2027), again emphasizing that education cooperation is the key to the sustainable development of Africa China cooperation. The Chinese side stated that it will continue to support talent cultivation in African countries and announced multiple cooperation plans to help African countries enhance their modernization and development momentum, demonstrating China's pragmatic response to the development needs of African countries.

As a beneficiary of non China education and training cooperation, I firmly believe that the cooperation and development in the field of human resources development between the two sides will effectively promote their modernization construction. I still remember the scene when I first started studying at the School of Public Administration, Tsinghua University in October 2008. Arriving in China late at night, on the way from the airport through the Olympic Village to school, I immediately felt the vitality of China's social and economic development. During my studies, I was deeply impressed by the excellent teaching quality, rich curriculum system, and modern infrastructure of the school. I have always dreamed of studying on a campus with modern sports facilities, in order to achieve academic pursuits and build a strong physique. Studying and living at Tsinghua University has fulfilled my dream. Our class has more than 20 civil servants from developing countries in Africa and Asia. They not only study basic theories, but also visit various provinces in China to learn about China's development practices and modernization construction experience. This experience provided us with an opportunity to compare and study the mainstream international development paradigm with the development models of our respective countries, and also gave us a deeper understanding of major issues in global governance.

This learning experience has had a positive impact on my career path. Based on my understanding of China and Asia, I am able to contribute to the development of bilateral relations between Madagascar and China through collaborative projects. I presided over the negotiation of a number of bilateral cooperation agreements, including the memorandum of understanding on the joint construction of the the Belt and Road. Madagascar became one of the first African countries to sign the cooperation document on the joint construction of the the Belt and Road with China. In carrying out strategic analysis, I focused on the relevant situation of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC, gained a deeper understanding of the core and development context of China's reform and opening up policy, and systematically analyzed its economic and political impact on the international level, especially the far-reaching impact on China's cooperation with Madagascar and other developing countries.

In an uncertain international environment, China adheres to a high level of opening up, promotes high-quality joint construction of the "the Belt and Road", increases efforts to promote the implementation of global development initiatives, global security initiatives, and global civilization initiatives, and continues to promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. Against the backdrop of a shortage of international development financing, the initiative proposed by China provides more opportunities for project financing in developing countries, in order to achieve the United Nations' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development goals. In the face of rising protectionism and unilateralism, China has further expanded its opening up, providing development opportunities and opportunities for developing countries to enter the Chinese market. Looking ahead to the future, Africa and China will further strengthen pragmatic cooperation and benefit the people of both sides, and will surely usher in a better tomorrow.

(Author: Former Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Madagascar; Editor in Chief: Jiang Bo and Liu Ge)