Africa-China trade hits US$134bn in first 5 months of 2025

By Juliet ETEFE ([email protected])

Africa’s trade with China has reached a record high of US$134billion in the first five months of 2025, representing a 12.4 percent year-on-year growth, Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, Tong Defa, has disclosed.

Speaking during a media briefing at his residence in Accra on Wednesday, June 19, Mr. Tong said the performance marked the highest trade volume ever recorded during that period and reaffirmed China’s position as Africa’s largest trading partner for 16 consecutive years.

“In the first five months of this year, China’s imports and exports with Africa reached RMB 963 billion (approximately US$134billion), up by 12.4 percent year-on-year, hitting a record high for the same period of the year in history. This strong growth trajectory reflects deepening cooperation and mutual trust between China and African countries,” he said.

According to the ambassador, China has also invested over US$1.85billion in Africa and provided more than US$21billion in funding since the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Beijing Summit last year, bringing total financial support so far to US$22.85billion.

These figures represent ongoing implementation of development pledges and strategic partnerships outlined during the high-level forum.

Available data shows that trade between China and Africa surged from US$10.5billion in 2000 to US$282.1billion in 2023, and China’s investment in Africa has grown from less than US$500million to over US$40billion.

Cooperation

Mr. Tong was updating the media on outcomes from the ministerial meeting and follow-up actions of the FOCAC and the Fourth China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo, both held in Changsha, Hunan Province from June 11 to 15, 2025.

The Expo, attended by nearly 5,000 enterprises and over 30,000 participants from Africa and China, culminated in US$11.39billion worth of signed deals, Mr. Tong said. Notably, over US$50billion in contracts have been signed across the four editions of the expo, with 83 percent already fulfilled.

Three major outcome documents were released during the Changsha meetings: the China-Africa Changsha Declaration on upholding solidarity and cooperation of the Global South, the list of outcomes of the follow-up action of the Beijing summit, and the concept paper of the 2026 China-Africa year of people-to-people exchanges.

Ghana’s participation

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, led a delegation to attend both the ministerial meeting and the expo.

According to the ambassador, Mr. Ablakwa held bilateral talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi; and the two countries reaffirmed their strategic partnership, first announced in 2023, and expressed commitment to deepening cooperation across sectors, including trade, infrastructure and technology.

Reinforcing Ghana’s interest in green and digital innovation, the Minister for Trade, Agribusiness & Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, also participated in the expo and signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a Chinese Electric Vehicle (EV) company.

The ambassador described the move as “good news for Ghana”, suggesting it could boost the country’s clean energy transition and industrial development.

Taiwan issue

In addition to trade and investment matters, the ambassador addressed China’s long-standing position on the Taiwan question, calling it a matter of sovereignty and historical justice.

He underscored the importance of UN General Assembly Resolution 2758, which recognised the People’s Republic of China (PRC) as the sole legal representative of China in the UN and affirmed that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China.

“China expresses its heartfelt gratitude to the Ghanaian people for the consistent support of our reunification efforts and opposition to any form of national division,” Mr. Tong said.

He reaffirmed China’s commitment to joint development, South-South solidarity and building a shared future with African countries.

The post Africa-China trade hits US$134bn in first 5 months of 2025 appeared first on The Business & Financial Times.

Read Full Story