Julia Mtsweni
The much anticipated Two Sessions 2023 have kicked off in Beijing. This is the annual plenary conference of the National People’s Congress (NPC) , which is the Chinese parliament and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), which is China's top political advisory body.
However, the most important position was that of President of the People’s Republic of China, and the spotlight was on President Xi Jinping, who was unanimously reelected. Xi was first elected Chinese president in March 2013.The CPC has established Xi Jinping's core position on the CPC Central Committee and in the Party as a whole, and has established the guiding role of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. The decision was made at the sixth plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee in 2021, and has been further consolidated by Xi’s re-election as Chinese President.
With President Xi Jinping starting a historic new term as the leader of one of the largest economies in the world, the attention would be ideally on how to sustain economic growth and partnership which undoubtedly includes South Africa.
China's Two Sessions assembly is not only a political event but also an economic one. It is a window into a class which will set the tone for geopolitics, economic targets and policy discourse, which will shape China -Africa relations, in particular with South Africa. Africa’s interest mostly lie in our plight towards an economic recovery plan beyond the scourge of the COVID -19 pandemic, along with the shaping of our political culture amid worrisome imminent realities of political coalitions and dissatisfied citizens.
China’s Two Sessions, according to experts, brought up key issues for the African continent, including “change and continuity” towards a our strategic relationship. Further arguing that China will continue to play a critical role in conflict resolution in Africa and that the country will continue to be an unswerving associate to the continent which has been a historical international ally. The Two Sessions bring President Xi Jinping back with his vast experience through his 3rd term triumph. The African continent has a number of conflicts, and China has played a pivotal role in assisting control such through their peacemaking document. In addition, we expect continued support for our views on other international platforms such as the WHO, UN security council, trade areas such as the G20 etc.
President Xi Jinping’s historic win is celebrated and welcomed due to the fact that, under Xi's leadership, Beijing launched new initiatives to build a China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era. The dual successes of the Johannesburg Summit in 2015 and the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in 2018 pushed China-Africa cooperation to a new and unprecedented height. Besides, Beijing released a white paper named “China and Africa in the New Era: A Partnership of Equals” on its Africa policy in 2021, all achieved under General Secretary Xi Jinping, which greatly signals optimism for further relations.
A combination of realism- the vision that states that the main actors in world politics are primarily concerned with their own security, the balance of power, and the ideal concept from the liberalist approach to international political economic theories are often used to clarify the China – South Africa relationship. Our imperative battle currently is the recovery of our economy, with China serving as a yardstick.
China-Africa Comprehensive Strategic and Cooperative Partnership has been based on the values of mutual benefit and we can collectively agree that the continent has a lot to benefit from China’s commercial interest.
To harmonise this view we can argue that the relations between Africa and China should be viewed as a prospect rather than an intimidation following the lessons that Chinese support and assistance to its African friends has shown to have contributed to Africa’s development. China has not been the sole beneficiary gaining from the relationship. African states have benefited from Chinese development projects such as the building of bridges, dams, roads etc.
The strengthening of the Africa-China relations as a by-product of the Two Sessions 2023 further gives immense hope onto the realization of a vigour economy in Africa and South Africa at large thus the accomplishment of the ideas adopted during the Two Sessions under the leadership of the much competent President Xi Jinping can only mean success to our economy in addition. There is great anticipation that China will definitely continue its great relationship with Africa and South Africa.
Julia Mtsweni writes this article in her capacity as Deputy President of SASCO