2018年CRI China releases yellow book on Africa（在线收听）

In light of next month's Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences has released their latest report that looks at development across the African continent.

Compiled by the West Asia and Africa Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, the report expounds on the geopolitical development trends across the African continent.

It also focuses on the latest developments in Africa's politics, economy, security, foreign relations, legal environment and climate of opinion as well as how China could deal with these changes.

Its major findings include the fragmentation of Africa's geopolitical map, a significant decline in the continent's foreign trade, an improved legal environment and more independent diplomatic policies.

With regard to China-Africa relations, the report says that next month's forum in Beijing will be another milestone in the history of the bilateral relations following the 2015 summit in Johannesburg.

Cheng Tao, a former director of the Africa Department at China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, echoed the importance of the upcoming forum.

"Through the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in September, some new measures and concepts will be announced. New areas of cooperation will be further explored, and traditional areas of cooperation will be further consolidated. I believe China-Africa cooperation will get better and better."

According to the report, the volume of China's import and export trade with African countries is continuing to grow, forming a stable market. China's investment in Africa grows faster than the overall foreign investment in the continent.

Li Zhibiao, a director of Africa research at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, suggests that the large-scale infrastructure construction has become an important pillar of Africa's economic development.

"As far as China is concerned, helping African countries to industrialize is very important. If there is no industrialization, even after Africa is free of poverty, it will be very difficult to make substantial progress in agricultural development, and other kinds of development".

Li said he believes one of the key points of future work with African countries is to enhance the level of industrialization in Africa.