By Héribert‑Label Élisée ADJOVI – Governor of "Le Label Diplomatique", Chairman of the Xi’an Think Tank for Sino‑African Cooperation and Development, and Chairman of the African Journalists Caucus for the Global South Community Destiny.
Introduction The 77th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, on October 1, 2026, goes beyond a historic celebration. It stands as a powerful reminder of what a nation can accomplish when it combines strategic vision, institutional discipline, and affirmed sovereignty. In seven decades, China has moved from a country under reconstruction to an indispensable global power, redefining economic and diplomatic balances through visionary initiatives in response to today’s global challenges — the Initiatives for Development, Security, Civilization, and Global Governance — under the strong leadership of President Xi Jinping.
For Africa, this trajectory is not a ready‑made model to copy, but a source of inspiration to build its own development. It raises fundamental questions: How can demographic strength be turned into an asset? How can infrastructure be built to shape the future? And above all, how can development be anchored in long‑term logic, free from external dependencies? Viewed from this angle, China’s 77 years become a critical mirror, questioning African states’ ability to shape their collective destiny and assert themselves in a multipolar world.
1- Strategic Planning and Institutional Continuity The strength of the People’s Republic of China lies in its ability to build for the long term and embed its actions in unwavering institutional continuity. Since 1949, each Five‑Year Plan — now at the 15th — has been more than an economic roadmap; it has been an instrument of national sovereignty, ensuring that objectives transcend political alternations and contingencies. This strategic discipline has enabled China to transform colossal challenges — poverty, under‑industrialization, external dependency — into levers of power.
For example, through methodical planning, China lifted nearly 100 million people out of extreme poverty in less than ten years (primarily between 2012 and 2020), turning a social challenge into a foundation of stability and political legitimacy. Through Special Economic Zones and successive Five‑Year Plans, it converted an agrarian economy into a manufacturing powerhouse, becoming the “world’s workshop.” Strategic infrastructure — railways, highways, and ports — integrated its vast territory, boosting competitiveness and exports. Anticipating dependence on fossil fuels, China invested massively in renewables, turning vulnerability into technological leadership. By betting on research and digital innovation, it transformed scientific lag into sovereignty, becoming a major player in artificial intelligence and space exploration. Finally, through proactive diplomacy, institutionalizing mutual respect and non‑interference, it turned initial isolation into global influence, notably via the Belt and Road Initiative and strategic partnerships worldwide. The Forum on China‑Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) stands as an admired model of South‑South cooperation.
For Africa, the lesson is clear: without long‑term vision, there is no sustainable development. While initiatives like the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and Agenda 2063 show intent, fragmented electoral programs and colonial legacies still hinder progress. Institutional continuity must become a strategic imperative, conditioning credibility, partner trust, and the ability to turn ambitions into concrete achievements.
2- Poverty Alleviation and Social Inclusion China has shown that poverty is not destiny but a political and institutional challenge that can be overcome with method and persistence. On February 25, 2021, the government announced the eradication of extreme poverty, achieved through targeted programs, universal social guarantees, and preventive systems against relapse. This people‑centered approach transformed poverty alleviation into a pillar of national legitimacy. The figures speak volumes: 770 million people lifted out of poverty in four decades; 100 million rural residents targeted between 2012 and 2020. This achievement allowed China to meet the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development ten years ahead of schedule.
Africa’s lesson is evident: development is measured not only by GDP but by citizens’ dignity and access to essentials. African states must move beyond fragmented policies dictated by Bretton Woods institutions and adopt permanent mechanisms ensuring education, healthcare, safe housing, and clean water. Poverty cannot be fought with slogans or sporadic actions but through rigorously financed and continuously evaluated systems.
3- Infrastructure and Industrialization The People’s Republic of China understood very early that infrastructure is the backbone of development — whether roads, ports, airports, rail corridors, or special economic zones. From this perspective, each project is not merely a technical undertaking but an instrument of national sovereignty. By building integrated industrial and logistical platforms, China transformed its territory into a coherent network, capable of absorbing investment, stimulating employment, and boosting exports. In terms of roads and highways, China has about 5.49 million kilometers of rural roads and 191,000 kilometers of expressways, making it the largest highway system in the world. This network connects 99% of cities with more than 200,000 inhabitants.
Regarding railways, China’s total network exceeds 162,000 kilometers in operation, including more than 48,000 kilometers of high‑speed lines — about 70% of the global total. On international corridors, the China‑Europe freight train has surpassed 110,000 trips, linking Asia to Europe. China also hosts 8 of the world’s 10 largest container ports, handling over 18.3 billion tons of goods, with more than 60 terminals fully automated. Additionally, the country has about 270 certified transport airports, with air services covering more than 91% of the population. Finally, it has established five pioneering zones (Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Shantou, Xiamen, and the entire province of Hainan) and more than 20 pilot zones nationwide to encourage innovation and international trade.
For Africa, the lesson is simple: without structural infrastructure, industrialization remains a slogan. African states must move beyond isolated projects to build regional corridors and industrial clusters that promote local transformation of raw materials and market integration. The AfCFTA can only become a tangible reality if it rests on interconnected infrastructure capable of sustaining a continental economy. Since the 9th Forum on China‑Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), China and Africa have sealed a strategic partnership that, combined with internal initiatives, can help the continent catch up. Development, after all, depends on the development of pathways. Ultimately,
China demonstrates that industrialization is not a luxury but a condition of sovereignty. Africa, rich in resources and youth, must make massive investment in infrastructure a strategic choice to break the cycle of dependency and embed its development in an autonomous and sustainable dynamic.
4- Diplomacy of Mutual Respect and Balanced Partnerships China has historically built its foreign policy on the doctrine of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, later evolving toward the doctrine of “peaceful development,” and under President Xi Jinping, toward “major‑country diplomacy” aimed at building a “community of shared future for humanity.”
The cornerstone of Chinese diplomacy, articulated by Premier Zhou Enlai in 1954, includes mutual respect (territorial integrity and sovereignty), mutual non‑aggression, mutual non‑interference in internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit, and peaceful coexistence. This foundation remained intact, but from the early 1980s until Xi Jinping’s rise, China followed Deng Xiaoping’s maxim: “Hide your strength, bide your time” (taoguang yanghui), keeping a low profile internationally to focus on domestic economic development. This later evolved into the formal concept of “peaceful development.” Since President Xi Jinping assumed power on March 14, 2013, China has adopted a "major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics" (Daguo waijiao). This contemporary doctrine emphasizes building a multipolar world and alternative global governance, anchored in initiatives like the Belt and Road, strengthening strategic partnerships across the Global South, while firmly defending core interests — notably sovereignty over Taiwan and the South China Sea.
For Africa, the lesson is uncompromising: sovereignty is not negotiable; it must be protected through balanced partnerships. African states must diversify cooperation not to multiply dependencies, but to meet the needs of their populations. AfCFTA and Agenda 2063 will only materialize if Africa clearly defines its priorities and speaks with one voice in the concert of nations.
China reminds us that diplomacy is not only an instrument of external relations but also a tool of internal and international legitimacy. Africa, inspired by this approach, can transform its international relations into a lever for development, imposing a united and respected voice globally.
5- Innovation and Knowledge as Engines of Development The People’s Republic of China has made innovation and knowledge the true catalysts of its transformation. By investing massively in scientific research, universities, technology hubs, and cutting‑edge industries, it has moved from being the “world’s workshop” to a global laboratory of emerging technologies. Artificial intelligence, biotechnology, new energy, and space exploration are no longer ambitions but realities that redefine its role in the global economy.
This transformation rests on several interconnected pillars, including the overhaul of the academic and research model, mastery of disruptive technologies, and ambitions regarding space and sovereignty. Regarding the academic and research overhaul, massive funding programs have propelled Chinese universities—such as Zhejiang University, Tsinghua University, and Peking University—to the top of global rankings in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Consequently, China now ranks among the world's leading producers of patents and scientific papers, particularly in high-impact journals. As for the mastery of disruptive technologies, national tech champions (sometimes referred to by the acronym BATX: Baidu, Alibaba, Tencent, Xiaomi) are directly challenging Silicon Valley giants in data processing, facial recognition, and automation. Meanwhile, China has gained a significant lead across the entire renewable energy value chain, becoming the global leader in the production of solar panels, wind turbines, and electric vehicle batteries. Regarding China's space and sovereignty ambitions, the country is establishing itself as a major space superpower through its own space station program and successful lunar and Mars missions. Furthermore, amidst global geopolitical tensions, the government is intensifying efforts to secure its supply chains, particularly in the critical semiconductor sector.
For Africa, the lesson is self‑evident: human capital is the greatest wealth. Africa’s majority youth must be trained, equipped, and integrated into innovation ecosystems capable of turning ideas into enterprises and enterprises into competitive industries. Investment in knowledge is not an academic luxury but a strategic weapon to break dependency and embed the continent in the digital and scientific revolution.
China demonstrates that innovation is not only an economic driver but also a force of sovereignty. Africa, by investing in its talents, universities, and research centers, can become a key player in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Knowledge, when institutionalized and valued, becomes the foundation of sustainable and autonomous development. Here again, Africa can rely on its strategic partnership with China to close the gap.
Conclusion The 77th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China is both a lesson in political strategy and an economic success story for the world. It shows that a nation can, in less than a century, transform fragility into power by harmonizing long‑term vision, social inclusion, structural infrastructure, sovereign diplomacy, and bold innovation.
For Africa, this moment must be read as a historic call: either continue to endure external dependencies or choose to build its own collective destiny. China demonstrates that development is not a gift from heaven but a conquest achieved through discipline, coherence, and confidence in one’s own strength.
Thus, the anniversary of the People’s Republic of China challenges African genius. It is an invitation to transform resources into power, youth into a driving force, and sovereignty into leverage. The true tribute to China’s path is not imitation but appropriation of lessons to invent an African path to development. Many Western strategists have predicted 2030 as the turning point of Africa’s renaissance and emergence. Four years remain. China proves it is possible and stands alongside the 53 African countries with which it maintains diplomatic relations to build a fair and united world. Africa must seize the opportunity.