Illustration: Xia Qing

Editor's Note:

The 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) was successfully held in Beijing from September 4 to 6. It took place at a critical juncture when the world is grappling with various regional and global crises and there is a pressing need for countries from the Global South to join hands. How does this year's FOCAC elevate ties between China and Africa? What is the significance of building a high-level China-Africa community with a shared future? The Global Times (GT) interviewed a number of former officials and pundits from various African countries to share their insights and stories. 

In the sixth article of this series, GT reporter Wang Wenwen interviewed Hoosoow Ali (Ali), founder of the Somali Institute of Chinese Studies and an expert in China-Africa relations.

GT: How do you analyze the outcome of this year's FOCAC summit? To what extent does this forum unite the strengths of Global South countries?

Ali: As always, this year's FOCAC summit has built on its past successes by further enhancing collaboration and mutual exchanges between China and developing African states. The focus of the summit is on expanding infrastructural projects, which are a critical need for the majority of African economies, as well as promoting technological advancements. FOCAC, with the strength of Global South unity, is one way to counterbalance Western dominance in global trade and create a more equitable economic landscape. FOCAC can add to the strength of the emerging Global South economies through a unified stance on global issues and joint ventures under the Belt and Road Initiative, given that developing countries have come out some form of economic resistance against Western IMF debt trap-based economic models.

GT: How do you evaluate China-Somalia relations in the past few years?

Ali: In recent years, China-Somalia relations have noticeably strengthened in many ways. When we look at China, what we see is an old friend and a trusted, reliable partner. As our largest trading and developmental partner, China has not only been a staunch supporter of our sovereignty, but it has also been highly supportive in our reconstruction process and ongoing efforts toward peace and stability, and our developmental potential capacity. Our country, Somalia, has the longest coastline in Africa, and it is rich in fisheries and maritime assets. China and Somalia enjoy a warm fisheries cooperation, unlike Western practices that often exploit our maritime resources under naval security missions. 

China has been waiting for a long time to invest in Somalia in infrastructure, industrialization, renewable energy, telecommunications, digital resources, as well as fisheries and renewable energy. Hopefully, the outcome of this FOCAC summit has offered a new direction and the means for fruitful cooperation between China and Somalia.

GT: What do you think of China's engagement with Africa in the past few years? How does it differ from Western presence in the continent?

Ali: It was only after China's industrialization that most of Africa began to develop, acting as a catalyst for the continent's economic and infrastructural growth. This development mainly occurred after the colonial era, starting in the 1960s, when highways, roads, hospitals, stadiums, national theaters and various types of infrastructural landmarks started to appear in Africa as a result of architectural assistance from China to African countries following their independence. 

In Somalia, notable architectural projects that received assistance from China after our independence include the National Theater, the National Stadium, and the Banadir Hospital, etc. 

After the establishment of FOCAC in 2000, China's engagement with Africa has been characterized by its growing investments in infrastructure, technology and sustainable development, unlike Western approaches that involve modernized exploitation or sanction-enforced economic models. The difference between Chinese and Western economic models is that, the only thing that has been modernized under Western support was exploitation. This is one way Western countries are trying so desperately to compete with China in Africa. But they can't succeed. 

For example, China's railway initiatives in building and modernizing African railways include training local workers and maintaining infrastructure sustainably. Frankly speaking, modernization from Western countries has been nothing but Westernization. We do not want a Western-style modernization that leads to the Westernization of Africa, which includes Western democratization, polarization, depopulation, and media indoctrination. 

Certainly, we do not want condition-based assistance that requires us to alienate our ancient friends such as China.

GT: What is the significance of China and Africa joining hands and working toward a more just global order?

Ali: The collaboration between China and Africa is significant for fostering a more just global order as it challenges the traditional Western-dominated economic and political frameworks. By joining hands, China and Africa can promote equitable trade and development practices that address historical imbalances. Their partnership in areas such as technology, renewable energy, infrastructure, and the fair distribution of global resources and opportunities can lead mankind toward prosperity. This joint effort helps balance global power dynamics and create a more inclusive international system that benefits a broader range of countries.

GT: What is your understanding of building a high-level China-Africa community with a shared future?

Ali: The idea of building a high-level China-Africa community with a shared future highlights a vision of mutual acceptance, peaceful coexistence and cooperative progress based on a shared future for mankind. It involves both Africa and China working hand-in-hand to tackle global challenges such as poverty, monopolized global supply chains, environmental degradation and technological inequality. 

We can learn a lot from China's approach with which it completely ended poverty in 2020. So, by focusing on sustainable developments and shared advancements, China and Africa, with the strength of the Global South, can create a model of international collaboration that serves the interests of humanity in all aspects.

GT: Have you taken note of the concept of "Chinese modernization"? What does "Chinese modernization" offer Africa?

Ali: Not long ago, I became fascinated with Chinese modernization, which led me to write a concept that is now widely used by various institutions and social media platforms. I call it the "composition of the Chinese path to modernization." 

I believe the path to Chinese modernization is founded on three principles - humanity, culture and environment. Chinese modernization is built upon unwavering balance, shared societal values, peaceful advancements of Chinese culture, industrialization capacity, education, health, welfare, social security, and science and technology for common prosperity. The Chinese have close ties to their past while maintaining a watchful eye on the future, which is why China's success is rooted in its domestic capacity. 

This model offers valuable lessons for Africa, especially in terms of achieving rapid development and building local capacities. China's experience in developing its infrastructure and technological sectors provides practical insights for African nations. 

By adopting similar strategies, Africa can benefit from sustainable development practices, effective infrastructural growth, and an industrialized economy, ensuring sustainable growth that is both inclusive and environmentally responsible.