JOHANNESBURG, June 29 (Xinhua) -- The Center for Chinese Studies (CCS) in South Africa on Friday urged African leaders to present a coordinated agenda at the upcoming 5th Forum on China Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) so as to ensure that China-Africa relationship advance the continent's economic growth.
Speaking in an interview with Xinhua, CCS Director Sven Grimm said Africa's coherent and coordinated agenda is critical to the FOCAC July Summit in Beijing as such an agenda would help the continent lure more Chinese investments and enhance China-Africa relationship.
"African leaders need to improve the coordination of their representation and agenda at FOCAC. They need to draw on more parts of Africa's dynamic society in building the agenda," Grimm said in Johannesburg.
Established in October 2000, the forum constitutes a platform for African and Chinese policymakers to enhance China's relations with African countries.
"To attract investments from China African leaders must present a coherent and coordinated agenda at the Summit, and make full use of the opportunity at hand," Grimm said.
FOCAC is a continuity of the Chinese central government's political agenda toward Africa which seeks to solidify economic, political and diplomatic ties with the Asian country, the CCS said in its policy briefing document released this month.
"Don't use the summit as an opportunity for political grandstanding," Grimm said. "Use it as a chance to engage with China and each other on valuable and sustainable development and business programs."
Based at Stellenbosch University in South Africa's Western Cape province, the CCS is the leading African research institution focusing on political partnerships, economic cooperation and sustainable engagement with China.
The CCS said FOCAC has deepened China-Africa's relations in various fields ranging from politics, economics, investments, trade, aid and south-south cooperation.
However, Grimm calls on Africa to shift from being assistance seekers and start to engage with China partners at the level of business, not just aid.
In this setting, African states will need to focus their demands toward China and engage more in a business and market rationale, Grimm said.
"This is another valuable opportunity for African leaders and policy-makers to take control of their economic development path, and engage with a resource-rich development partner in a business and market rationale, rather than simply seeking assistance and aid," he said.
The CCS has called for enhanced coordination at regional levels in Africa, saying such coordination would help achieve fruitful cooperation to the benefit of individual countries and regional communities.
The institute was also calling on African policymakers through regional organizations such Southern African Development Community (SADC), Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and other regional institutions to create conducive polices to attract more Chinese investments in the continent.
According to the CCS, over the past recent years, Chinese investments have contributed largely to Africa economic growth, helping make some African countries the fastest world growing economies.
The center said Chinese investments in African resources have been a hot topic in public and academic debates, but in reality China is not the major investor in heavy industries such as mining and oil.
Take oil for example, 8.7 percent of China's oil imports came from Africa in 2009, compared with 33 percent of the United States and EU imported from the continent, according to the center.