By Hasan Muhammad

Editor's Note: The writer is a freelance columnist on international affairs based in Karachi, Pakistan. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily the views of China Economic Net.

In this era of rampant protectionism and numerous obstacles to global cooperation, the fourth China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo (CAETE), being held in Changsha this week, offers something refreshingly rare: optimism with substance. Not just a photo op or a flurry of diplomatic pleasantries, the Expo is a living, breathing testament to how economic pragmatism and mutual respect can - quite literally - build bridges.

More than 4,700 companies, 300,000 participants from 53 African nations and 27 Chinese provincial regions, and 11 international organizations came together in a tangible expression of South-South cooperation. As of opening day, the value of cooperation projects already preliminarily agreed upon exceeded $11 billion.

For decades, the continent has been trapped in a cycle of exporting raw materials and importing finished goods, a pattern that stifles local industry and limits value addition. CAETE, by contrast, offers a different development model - one that prioritizes manufacturing, processing, and skills transfer.

What's clear from this Expo is that African leaders and entrepreneurs are pragmatic actors looking for investment, infrastructure, and market access. And that's precisely what events like CAETE offer. Consider the Zambia-China Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone, the Lekki Free Trade Zone in Nigeria, or Ethiopia's Kombolcha Industrial Park - all Chinese-supported initiatives that are not only injecting capital but transferring skills, creating jobs, and nudging local economies toward value-added production. For a continent often rich in resources but starved of processing capacity, this matters.

Here's the beauty of the CAETE model: It's cooperation. China offers market access, financing, and tech. Africa offers untapped potential, labor, and a thirst for modernization. Both sides walk away with something real.

Take, for example, the Expo's announcement of 128 new cooperation projects valued at over $7 billion, spanning healthcare, clean energy, smart manufacturing, and digital services. From photovoltaic projects in Zambia to green mining in Nigeria, the investments are helping rewire the continent for sustainability.

Under new initiatives announced at the Expo, all least developed African countries that maintain diplomatic relations with China - 33 in total - will receive zero-tariff treatment for 100 percent of their exports. That is a level of preferential access most African countries never enjoyed even with their traditional Western partners.

It's not just about balance sheets; it's about familiarity, trust, and cultural resonance. As one Rwandan exhibitor proudly declared, "This is my third time here. It's not just about trade - it's about building relationships."

Indeed, the Expo is more than a platform for transactions; it is a microcosm of the emerging Global South - assertive, interconnected, and increasingly able to shape its own future. While Western policymakers debate the risk of Chinese influence in Africa, they often overlook the agency of African governments themselves. These are sovereign states making rational economic choices in a world where capital is mobile and partnerships are plural.

What makes CAETE particularly noteworthy is its alignment with long-term development goals. The projects being inked are not just about trade - they are about building roads, hospitals, energy grids, and digital infrastructure. These are the prerequisites for sustainable modernization, not only for Africa but for any society seeking inclusive growth in the 21st century.

And in case anyone thinks this is a flash in the pan, remember this: China has been Africa's largest trading partner for 16 consecutive years. In 2024 alone, trade volume crossed $290 billion. In just the first five months of 2025, it's up another 12.4%. Events like CAETE are not mere diplomatic exercises - they are laboratories for this new order. They offer a glimpse into how regions can cooperate outside the shadow of traditional power structures. They remind us that globalization, when rooted in mutual benefit and strategic alignment, can still be a powerful engine of prosperity.