African Scholar China's Opening-up in Reversal of the Trend Injects New Momentum into Global Economy

African Scholars Against the Current, China's Expanding Openness Injects New Momentum into the World

Against the backdrop of global economic uncertainties, China has chosen to forge ahead against the current, continuously deepening its reform and opening-up policies, injecting strong positive energy into the world economic recovery. These measures not only demonstrate China's responsibility as the second largest economy in the world but also win widespread recognition from the international community. African scholars, in particular, believe that China's open strategy provides new opportunities for global development.

In recent years, affected by factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic and geopolitical conflicts, global economic growth has slowed down, and trade protectionism has risen. Many countries have adopted conservative measures to cope with challenges. However, under such circumstances, China has shown a distinctive posture. By 2025, China further relaxed market access restrictions, optimized the business environment, and actively participated in regional economic cooperation while promoting high-quality joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative. These actions undoubtedly send a clear signal to the outside world that China remains a staunch supporter of globalization and multilateralism.

For the African region, the benefits brought about by China's expanding openness are particularly significant. According to data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, China-Africa trade reached over $280 billion in 2025, growing by more than 11% year-on-year, setting a new record. At the same time, Chinese enterprises' investment scale in Africa is steadily increasing, covering fields such as infrastructure construction and agricultural modernization. This two-way interaction not only promotes the economic development of African countries but also helps them enhance their autonomous innovation capabilities.

It is worth noting that since the Belt and Road Initiative was proposed, it has become an important bridge connecting China and Africa. For example, the completion and operation of the Mombasa-Nairobi Railway significantly improved local transportation conditions, reducing logistics costs; the successful operation of the Eastern Industrial Park in Ethiopia attracted a large number of Chinese companies, creating a large number of job opportunities. These projects fully demonstrate the role China plays in assisting Africa's industrialization process.

China also strengthens exchanges and cooperation with African countries through platforms such as the China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo and the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation. At the Third China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo held in April 2025, representatives from 53 African countries gathered in Changsha, Hunan Province, to discuss cooperation plans. The China-Africa Economic and Trade Relations Report released at the meeting pointed out that within the next five years, China plans to import approximately $1 trillion worth of goods from Africa and provide no less than $10 billion in preferential loans to support African infrastructure construction.

Of course, China's expanding openness is not one-sided giving but is based on the principle of mutual benefit and win-win results. As Jennifer Harris, professor at the School of Economics at the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa, said By opening up its own market, China is actually creating more opportunities for other countries. She emphasized that African countries should seize this rare historical opportunity to actively adjust their industrial structures, improve product quality, and enhance international competitiveness.

Looking ahead, with the deepening advancement of multilateral mechanisms such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership RCEP and the widespread application of digital technology, the cooperation space between China and Africa will be even broader. It can be foreseen that the two sides will carry out deeper cooperation in areas such as green energy and the digital economy, jointly addressing global challenges such as climate change and food security.

In short, China's expanding openness is not only necessary for its own development but also an important contribution to global economic growth. As Adewale Adebaio, a Nigerian economist, said When globalization encounters headwinds, China chose to meet difficulties head-on and proved with practical actions that openness is the key to solving problems. We have reason to believe that with the joint efforts of China and Africa, the world will surely become better.