CADTCC
Preface
Relying on the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation mechanism, China-Africa cooperation in the digital sector has continued to deepen.
Since the 2015 FOCAC Summit, China has continued to focus on digital infrastructure, technology empowerment, and industrial integration, promoting China-Africa digital economy cooperation from infrastructure connectivity toward coordinated industrial-chain innovation.
The 2024 FOCAC Beijing Summit marked a new stage of quality improvement and upgrading in China-Africa digital cooperation, opening a new model for digital transformation.
FOCAC Summits
2015.12
President Xi Jinping announced that China was ready to work with Africa to implement ten major cooperation plans. Chinese enterprises were encouraged to participate in information infrastructure development, including fiber-optic networks and connectivity networks in African countries, to help build an information network covering the continent.
Ten Major Cooperation Plans2018.09
President Xi Jinping announced eight major initiatives, proposed sharing experience in information and communications development, jointly seizing opportunities in the digital economy, and encouraging enterprises to deepen cooperation in infrastructure, the internet, and the digital economy.
Eight Major Initiatives2021.11
President Xi Jinping announced nine programs, with the digital innovation program set out as a dedicated cooperation measure. The conference called for stronger exchanges with Smart Africa, narrowing the digital divide, and advancing information society development.
Digital Innovation Program2024.09
President Xi Jinping proposed ten partnership actions for modernization and emphasized jointly building the China-Africa Digital Technology Cooperation Center, developing 20 digital demonstration projects, and embracing a new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation.
Joint Development of the Cooperation Center
Digital Cooperation Milestones
March 2015
The then Minister of Industry and Information Technology accompanied President Xi Jinping in meeting Houlin Zhao, Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union. China expressed support for using ITU multilateral platforms to advance cooperation with Africa, accelerate information and communications infrastructure development, and support Chinese enterprises in going global.
June 2015
The then Minister of Industry and Information Technology led a delegation to Tanzania and South Africa, formally promoting China-ITU cooperation with African countries on cross-border connectivity backbone networks to help African countries bridge the digital divide.
December 2015
MIIT leadership attended the FOCAC Johannesburg Summit and helped include infrastructure development and ITU cooperation on narrowing the digital divide in outcome documents. China also signed memoranda of understanding with communications authorities from Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi on accelerating ICT infrastructure development in East Africa.
March-May 2016
In March, MIIT worked with relevant domestic ministries, enterprises, and financial institutions to establish a cooperation mechanism for the East Africa Information Highway, promoting a government-industry-academia-research ecosystem for cooperation with Africa. In May, China signed a memorandum of understanding with Ethiopia's communications authority on jointly building the East Africa Information Highway.
July 2018
MIIT guided China Telecom Group to develop a project plan for jointly building the African Information Highway, supporting Chinese enterprises in market-oriented participation in information and communications infrastructure and digital transformation cooperation projects in African countries.
August 2018
MIIT leadership visited South Africa and Zambia. During ITU Telecom World, China held broad exchanges with representatives from South Africa and other countries, presented China's approach to cooperation with Africa, and built exchange and cooperation platforms for Chinese enterprises.
September 2018
MIIT leadership attended the FOCAC Beijing Summit. Measures including deepening exchanges between competent authorities, sharing communications experience, and jointly seizing digital economy opportunities were incorporated into the FOCAC Beijing Action Plan (2019-2021), marking a new stage of cooperation.
2019
MIIT continued to advance communications cooperation with Africa, signing memoranda of understanding on strengthening ICT cooperation with Egypt's Ministry of Communications and Information Technology and Rwanda's Ministry of ICT and Innovation.
2021
MIIT leadership attended the Eighth FOCAC Ministerial Conference online. Digital infrastructure development and the China-Africa Digital Cooperation Forum were included in the Dakar Action Plan (2022-2024), and MIIT formally undertook the important task of organizing the forum.
2022
MIIT leadership led a delegation to the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference in Romania and signed a memorandum of understanding on digital economy cooperation with South Africa's Department of Communications and Digital Technologies, formally establishing the China-South Africa Digital Ministerial Dialogue Mechanism.
2023
MIIT signed a memorandum of understanding on ICT cooperation with Tunisia and a framework agreement on telecommunications cooperation with Algeria, further expanding digital cooperation opportunities in North Africa.
October 2023
MIIT held the China-Africa Digital Capacity Building Cooperation Forum in Beijing. Representatives from nine African countries, including Uganda, Sierra Leone, Tunisia, Egypt, and South Africa, attended. MIIT also signed a memorandum of understanding on digital economy cooperation with Uganda.
May 2024
MIIT signed a memorandum of understanding on digitalization and digital economy cooperation with Algeria's High Commission for Digitalization, while organizing leading institutions and enterprises including CAICT and Huawei to share China's digital solutions with Algerian partners.
July 2024
MIIT held the China-Africa Digital Cooperation Forum in Beijing, attended by digital ministers and ambassadors from more than 40 African countries. The forum upheld the principle of joint consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits, supported Digital Africa, and jointly released the China-Africa Digital Cooperation Development Action Plan.
September 2024
The FOCAC Beijing Summit was successfully held. Under the witness of Chinese and African leaders, the strategic initiative to jointly build the China-Africa Digital Technology Cooperation Center was fully advanced. MIIT signed a series of memoranda of understanding on digital economy and ICT cooperation with Senegal, Rwanda, the Republic of the Congo, and other competent authorities.
July 2025
The first China-South Africa Digital Ministerial Dialogue was held in Beijing and co-chaired by Minister Li Lecheng and his South African counterpart. The two sides strengthened practical cooperation in digital infrastructure, digital innovation, and integrated applications.
September 2025
Minister Li Lecheng led a delegation to Ethiopia and South Africa, signed a memorandum of understanding with Ethiopia's Ministry of Innovation and Technology, and addressed the China-Africa Digital and Emerging Industries Cooperation Seminar in Addis Ababa.
Recent Highlights
From 2023 to 2025, China-Africa digital cooperation entered a new stage of quality improvement and upgrading, creating a new model for jointly advancing digital transformation and embracing the digital revolution.
2023
Multilateral and bilateral digital cooperation frameworks accelerated, strengthening the foundation for cooperation among competent authorities.
MIIT signed a memorandum of understanding on communications technology cooperation with Tunisia and a framework agreement on telecommunications cooperation with Algeria.
The China-Africa Digital Capacity Building Cooperation Forum was held in Beijing, with competent government authorities from nine African countries attending. A memorandum of understanding on digital economy cooperation was signed with Uganda.
2024
Top-level design was completed, the action plan was released, and China-Africa digital cooperation entered a new stage centered on jointly building the Cooperation Center.
A memorandum of understanding was signed with Algeria's High Commission for Digitalization, and CAICT, Huawei, and other institutions shared China's digital solutions.
The China-Africa Digital Cooperation Forum was held in Beijing, attended by digital ministers and ambassadors from more than 40 African countries. The China-Africa Digital Cooperation Development Action Plan was jointly released.
The FOCAC Beijing Summit proposed jointly building the China-Africa Digital Technology Cooperation Center and 20 digital demonstration projects. A series of digital economy memoranda were signed with Senegal, Rwanda, the Republic of the Congo, and other countries.
2025
High-level dialogue mechanisms became regularized, and China's experience further supported Africa's digital transformation.
The first China-South Africa Digital Ministerial Dialogue was held in Beijing, strengthening practical cooperation on digital infrastructure, digital innovation, and integrated applications.
MIIT leadership visited Ethiopia and South Africa, signed new memoranda of understanding, and attended the China-Africa Digital and Emerging Industries Cooperation Seminar in Addis Ababa.