China has reaffirmed its commitment to deepening cyberspace cooperation with African nations, pledging support for infrastructure, skills development, and policy coordination to boost inclusive growth across the continent.
Speaking at the China-Africa Digital Economy Seminar in Beijing, Zhang Yong, Director General of the Development and Education Center of the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), said the initiative aligns with the Digital Innovation Project under the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).
He highlighted China’s readiness to help African countries develop digital infrastructure, adopt emerging technologies such as 5G, artificial intelligence, and cloud computing, and advance cross-border e-commerce and smart city projects.
“This seminar is a concrete step to build a community with a shared future in cyberspace,” Zhang said, referencing a concept first proposed by President Xi Jinping in 2015. “Building a secure, stable, and prosperous cyberspace is of great significance for individual countries and for world peace and development.”
Zhang outlined three priorities for collaboration: strengthening consensus on cyberspace governance, building capacity to leverage the digital economy for high-quality growth, and deepening exchanges through initiatives such as study tours in Chinese cities like Wuxi and Qingdao.
He noted that Africa’s digital economy is expanding rapidly but faces challenges in infrastructure, technology adoption, talent development, and governance.
South Africa’s Patrick Baloyi stressed the need to treat data access as a human right to close the continent’s digital divide, while Prof. Abdou Karim Jallow of The Gambia’s ICT Agency praised existing partnerships with Chinese firms like Huawei in enhancing LTE networks and national data infrastructure.
The seminar brought together 37 delegates from eight African countries, aiming to equip policymakers, researchers, and business leaders with practical skills and governance strategies to accelerate Africa’s digital transformation.
Written By Rodney Mbua
