A new wave of young African entrepreneurs is making notable strides in China, symbolizing the deepening economic ties between the continent and the Asian powerhouse.
Among them is Khalifa A. Sy Diop, who has established a strong presence in China’s Hunan province. In 2024, Diop launched the Mali Business Center to foster mentorship and collaboration between Chinese and Malian enterprises.
“No matter how big a company grows, it can only solve problems for a limited group of people. But engaging in projects and industrialization can benefit an entire nation’s future,” Diop said.
“Success doesn’t need to bear my name. I’ll keep doing my part in collaboration between Hunan and Africa, now and in the future.”
China has maintained its position as Africa’s largest trading partner for over 15 years. In 2023 alone, African exports to China reached $170 billion, underscoring the growing scale of this relationship. Supporting this momentum, China has introduced favorable business policies, including start-up visas specifically designed to attract foreign entrepreneurs.
Beninese entrepreneur Odjo Rachald is one such beneficiary. After earning his degree from Central South University in Changsha in 2024, he launched a startup that bridges trade between the two regions.
“Thanks to the visa policy, I can get the start-up visa and register my company here. That’s been the biggest help. Now expanding any project I want to work on is convenient,” Rachald said.
His business focuses on exporting Chinese engineering machinery, hardware, and solar products to Africa while importing premium African goods—such as cashews, palm oil, and coffee—into China.
Echoing the spirit of mutual benefit, Aboubacar Garba Konte, who heads the Mali Project Incubator at the China-Africa Youth Innovation and Entrepreneurship base, highlighted the enormous potential in bilateral cooperation.
“Africa has everything China needs, and China has everything Africa needs,” Konte noted.
“In Africa, we have huge deficit in terms of electricity, so we have been able to sign two strategic contracts now. One is in solar, the second is in agricultural drones. So we, by these two projects, want to push forward the engagement of Chinese and African youths together to collaborate in knowledge sharing, in technology sharing,” he added.
These developments were celebrated during the fourth China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo held last week. In a major policy shift, China announced its intention to lift tariffs on African imports to further stimulate trade. Additionally, Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged $50 billion in financial support to Africa over the next three years, reinforcing the country’s commitment to long-term partnership.
