Interview: Asian-African summit to boost economic cooperation: expert

The three-day Asian-African Summit that closed on Thursday in Jarkata, Indonesia, is expected to bring more active economic cooperation among nations in the two continents, analysts say.

Asian and African leaders gathered this week to mark 60 years since a historic conference held in Indonesia's Bandung that promoted a common identity and economic cooperation among newly- independent countries.

"This year's summit, which coincides with the 60th anniversary of the Bandung Conference, is highly symbolic in view of its significant role in promoting developing countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America to speak from a common perspective," Gerishon Ikiara, Associate Director of the Institute of Diplomacy and International Studies at University of Nairobi, said.

Addressing the summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping said Asian and African countries should carry on the Bandung Spirit and boost a new type of international relations featuring win-win cooperation.

Ikiara said that as the world's second largest economy, China's leadership at the summit have acted as a pace setter in the rapidly evolving Asian-African cooperation.

China has been playing a pivotal role in the last few years shaping the Asian-African economic and political cooperation, said Ikiara.

Its "One Belt, One Road" initiatives, whose routes run through Asia, Europe and Africa, is expected to enhance regional connectivity and economic cooperation.

"One Belt, One Road" is a development strategy started by the Chinese government in 2013. It refers to the Silk Road Economic Belt, which will link China with Europe through Central and Western Asia, and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, which stretch from south China to Southeast Asia and Africa.

Speaking of its influence in Africa, Ikiara said China's role in enhancing cooperation between the two continents has been significant.

He said economic cooperation within this broad framework has led to a rapid increase in the financial and technical support to most countries in Africa, notably, Angola, Kenya, South Sudan and others.

"China's role in this cooperation can not be ignored," said he, "My expectation is the Asian-African summit will bring fresh impetus to this cooperation which may be followed by the opening of new areas of cooperation and increased funding from China."

China has been Africa's largest trading partner for five consecutive years, with trade between the two sides hitting 200 billion U.S. dollars in 2013.

"It is expected that Asian-African cooperation will be strengthened in the coming years, especially in terms of trade expansion," Ikiara said.

Analysts see greater potential from China, which has previously declared its readiness to finance a series of infrastructure initiatives launched under the African Union's Agenda 2063 to support the continent's development.

The agenda lays out a broad transport infrastructure plan aimed at enhancing trade within Africa and fitting into China's Road and Belt initiatives.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said during his visit to the African Union in May last year that Beijing would strengthen industrial and commercial cooperation with Africa to help Africa's industrialization, manufacturing sector and infrastructure construction, including the building of a high-speed railway line in Africa, which he dreamed of connecting all African capitals.

Ongoing projects carried out by Chinese companies can be found in many African countries such as Kenya, where a high-speed railway line linking East Africa is under construction. Ikiara said these projects will benefit the African people and further improve China's international image. Endi