Chongqing - At the 4th China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo held June 12-15 in Changsha, Hunan Province, Chongqing became the guest city of honor of the event, signing nine cooperation projects with African partners worth a total of $133 million USD.
On June 12, during the 4th China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo, Chongqing and African partners signed cooperation projects. (Photo/Chongqing Municipal Commission of Commerce)
"From Chongqing to Africa, it's closer than you think," said Ye Lina, deputy director of the Chongqing Municipal Commission of Commerce. She pointed to the city's unique location at the intersection of the Belt and Road initiative and the Yangtze River Economic Belt as a key advantage- what she called the cornerstone of Chongqing-Africa cooperation.
Chongqing-made laptops, cell phones, and motorcycles are increasingly shipped to Africa via the Yangtze River to Shanghai or through the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor (ILSTC), which connects Chongqing to Qinzhou Port, and further to Abu Dhabi or Dubai, and connecting African ports. In return, African resources such as aluminum ore, iron ore, and coffee are flowing into Chongqing's markets.
According to the Chongqing Municipal Commission of Commerce, by the end of 2024, Chongqing's investment in Africa reached $470 million, and in 2024, trade with Africa totaled 25.51 billion yuan, up 1.5% year-on-year, with automobile exports surging 552% and motorcycle exports rising 20%.
The 4th China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo. (Photo/Chongqing Municipal Commission of Commerce)
"Chongqing enterprises going global are now much better supported," said Yang Cheng, Chairman of Jijie (Chongqing) New Energy Technology Co., Ltd. "The Chongqing government not only organizes us to attend exhibitions in Nigeria and Kenya but also trains us on overseas compliance and investment processes and provides financial subsidies."
Those subsidies include tens of millions of yuan in special development funds annually, covering everything from project operations to transport and insurance. Yang added that Jijie's African exports of tricycles hit nearly 150 million yuan (about $20.89 million) in 2024, and are projected to exceed 200 million yuan this year. At the expo, Jijie secured another 100 million yuan export order.
Chongqing's industrial might underpins this momentum. In 2024, the city produced 2.54 million cars, 6.58 million motorcycles, and 66.82 million laptops, meaning 1 in every 8 cars, 1 in every 3 motorcycles in China, and 1 in every 4 laptops worldwide was made in Chongqing.
This strength is now translating into deeper cooperation. What began with trade in goods is evolving into investment in infrastructure, healthcare, and manufacturing. Chongqing Chinabase Import & Export Co., Ltd. (CQCB), for example, has acquired Luton Hospital in Nairobi, Kenya, and plans to develop a top-tier hospital in two phases, bolstering Kenya's medical system and strengthening Sino-African health ties.
Wen Hua, the deputy general manager of CQCB, explained that companies are now blending trade with investment, forming a new model of trade-driven investment and investment-driven trade.
At the 4th China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo, African representatives explored agricultural machinery produced in Chongqing. (Photo/Chongqing Municipal Commission of Commerce)
At the expo, Chongqing International Construction Corporation (CICO) signed a 138-kilometer road upgrade project in central Uganda. Its chairman, Lin Bing, believes the timing for deeper China-Africa cooperation is ideal, citing four factors: favorable policies, infrastructure demand, less competition compared to Western markets, and Africa's large, young population.
CICO, a veteran player with over 40 years of African operations, maintains projects across Ethiopia, Tanzania, Kenya, and Ghana, averaging 3 billion yuan in annual construction contracts in Africa.
"In 2024, 20 new African projects were registered in Chongqing. With over 20,000 bridges and advanced expertise in complex terrain construction and smart city design, Chongqing is ready to share its experience in transportation, energy, and communications with African partners," said Ye.