International Observation: The time is right for China-Africa blue economic cooperation
The blue economy takes the marine economy as the main body and emphasizes the sustainable development of marine resources and the protection of the marine ecological environment. In recent years, China and Africa have conducted practical cooperation in the field of blue economy under the framework of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, which has promoted the development of African economy and China-Africa cooperation. The new Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation is about to be held, bringing new opportunities for China-Africa blue economic cooperation.
The quantity and quality of China's blue economic development have increased. China's gross marine product has increased from 0.95 trillion yuan in 2001 to 9.9 trillion yuan in 2023. The marine industry structure has gradually upgraded and is moving towards a stage of high-quality development. Overall, China's blue economy is in a leading position in the world in terms of total scale, and specific fields such as marine fishery, offshore oil and gas industry, shipbuilding industry, marine engineering equipment manufacturing, shipping industry, and port construction and operation are in the middle or middle of the global value chain. High end location. With the advancement of the “21st Century Maritime Silk Road”, China has also proposed documents such as the “One Belt, One Road” Maritime Cooperation Vision, the “Blue Partnership Principles” and the “One Belt, One Road” Blue Cooperation Initiative. We welcome the development of blue Economic and international cooperation to jointly protect and sustainably use the ocean.
The blue economy is the new frontier of Africa’s renaissance. 38 of the 54 countries in Africa are coastal or island countries, and more than 90% of the African continent's imports and exports are conducted by sea. The blue economy has therefore become the new frontier of Africa's renaissance. The African Union has successively issued strategic documents such as the "2050 African Marine Overall Strategy" and "African Blue Economy Strategy" to design a blueprint for the development of Africa's blue economy. Regional economic organizations such as the Intergovernmental Organization for Development in East Africa, the Economic Community of West African States, and the Southern African Development Community have also recognized the potential of blue economic development. South Africa, Seychelles, Cape Verde, Kenya and other countries have released blue economy-related policies to align with all-Africa and regional strategies. It is estimated that by 2030, the scale of Africa's blue economy is expected to increase to US$405 billion, creating 57 million jobs.
China-Africa blue economic cooperation has a solid foundation. In July 2023, the China-Africa Marine Science and Blue Economy Cooperation Seminar was held and the China-Africa Marine Science and Blue Economy Cooperation Center was established. This is an important part of the "Nine Projects" of the Eighth Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation. The content is also a pragmatic measure in the maritime field to promote the implementation of the diplomatic results of the heads of state and build a China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era. In recent years, documents such as the "Three-Year Action Plan" of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and the "China Policy Document on Africa" and the "2035 Vision for China-Africa Cooperation" have effectively condensed the consensus on China-Africa blue economic development cooperation. We have carried out practical cooperation in , marine fisheries, marine science and technology, marine planning and other aspects and achieved phased results, laying a solid foundation for further deepening China-Africa blue economic cooperation.
China-Africa blue economic cooperation has broad prospects. The blue economy has brought new cooperation opportunities to China and Africa. The potential of cooperation is gradually being released and is expected to become a new growth point for the economic development and cooperation of both sides. This year is a great year for China-Africa relations. The new Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation will promote the two sides to promote the common development of the blue economy through equal dialogue and promote mutual benefit and win-win results in the maritime field through pragmatic cooperation. In the future, China and Africa can further share marine resources, seek marine prosperity, and deepen the blue economy through policy platforms to unblock cooperation channels, blue financial empowerment to deepen development, digital development to boost industrial upgrading, and multi-party exchanges to expand cooperation space. Cooperate to promote the construction of a maritime community with a shared future and a higher level of open world economy.
