China’s BRI and the AfCFTA: Potential Overlaps, Complementarities and Challenges

This report by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the intersection of China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). It analyzes how Chinese infrastructure investment and trade goals overlap with Africa's ambition for a single continental market, highlighting both the potential for synergy and the risks of economic imbalance.

• The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is a massive global infrastructure and services project launched by China in October 2013 to enhance transcontinental connectivity. As of January 30, 2021, 140 countries and 31 international organizations had signed cooperation documents with China, including 46 African nations.
• The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) began negotiations in June 2015, was signed in March 2018, and officially started trading on January 1, 2021. It aims to create a single market connecting 1.3 billion people across 55 African Union member states with a combined GDP of $3.4 trillion.
• China has a strong incentive to engage with the AfCFTA to gain greater access to African markets and facilitate the sale of goods and e-commerce. However, there are concerns that flooding the market with cheap Chinese goods could undermine the AfCFTA's goals.
• Chinese financing through the BRI has provided substantial support for African infrastructure, such as Nigeria's Lekki Port and Kenya's Standard Gauge Railway, which has lowered trade costs. The report suggests that BRI financing could further support the AfCFTA by addressing poor infrastructure, provided there is significant coordination.
• Despite the potential for complementarity, the report concludes that the relationship is currently characterized by a lack of strategic coordination from African nations and unclear long-term interests from China, which may create economic risks for Africa.

APA

FU, Y., & EGUEGU, O. (2021). China’s BRI and the AfCFTA: Potential Overlaps, Complementarities and Challenges. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Policy-Insights-113-fu-eguegu.pdf

Chicago

FU, YIKE, and OVIGWE EGUEGU. China’s BRI and the AfCFTA: Potential Overlaps, Complementarities and Challenges. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2021. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Policy-Insights-113-fu-eguegu.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=FU |first1=YIKE |last2=EGUEGU |first2=OVIGWE |title=China’s BRI and the AfCFTA: Potential Overlaps, Complementarities and Challenges |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=June 2021 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Policy-Insights-113-fu-eguegu.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{fu2021chinas, author = {FU, YIKE and EGUEGU, OVIGWE}, title = {{China’s BRI and the AfCFTA: Potential Overlaps, Complementarities and Challenges}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2021}, month = jun, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Policy-Insights-113-fu-eguegu.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }