Contributing to Industrialization in Africa: China and Ethiopia Embark on a New Journey of Development Together

June 2, 2026

On the East African plateau, Ethiopia is undergoing profound development transformation and revitalization. Industrial parks are springing up, 10,000-ton clinker cement production lines are in full swing, LNG production is booming, new energy development projects such as hydro-power station, wind farm and photo-voltaic generation are being accelerated, highway networks are being built at full speed, and the Ethio-Djibouti Railway and the economic belt along it are flourishing. As Ethiopia’s all-weather strategic partner, China has always worked to develop relations with Africa following the principle of sincerity, real results, amity and good faith and the principle of pursuing the greater good and shared interests. Under the framework of the Forum on China‑Africa Cooperation and the Belt and Road Initiative, China has carried out cooperation with Ethiopia in industrial fields such as policy communication, capacity matching, infrastructure building and potential tapping of emerging industries, and has provided all-round support for Ethiopia and Africa to embark on a new journey of industrialization.

Zero-tariff treatment and other preferential policies have injected new impetus into mutually beneficial and win-win trade and common development between China and Ethiopia, promoting Ethiopia’s agricultural modernization and industrialization process.

China has taken concrete actions to fulfill its commitment to opening up its market to Africa by extending zero-tariff treatment to all African countries with diplomatic ties, including Ethiopia. Ethiopian agricultural and food products such as kidney beans, soybean meal and dried cassava have gained new access to China, and coffee, sesame have gained increasing popularity and reputation in the Chinese market through platforms like the China International Import Expo. Projects such as capacity-building in the livestock value chain were launched under the China-Africa (Ethiopia)-UNIDO Center. The above policy measures promote a more balanced and sustainable development of trade between China and Ethiopia, attract more investment from trading partners in areas like agricultural product processing, introducing capital, technology, equipment and management experience, and promoting a stabilized and upgraded industrial chain in Ethiopia. On the other hand, intermediate and capital goods, such as fertilizers, components of communication equipment, vehicle parts, generator sets, construction machineries made in China with good quality and price, play a leading role in China’s exports to Ethiopia. With local processing and value-added production, they provide support for Ethiopian enterprises to control production costs, meet local market demands and enhance export competitiveness.

China and Ethiopia have strengthened strategic alignment of industrialization in areas such as investment, infrastructure and connectivity to boost Ethiopia’s capacity for independent development and home-grown momentum.

China has advanced high-quality joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative, implemented the Global Development Initiative, and carried out the 15th Five-Year Plan, and conducted in-depth alignment with the 10-Year Development Plan of Ethiopia (2021-2030), HGER Agenda, Digital Ethiopia 2030. The two sides have achieved fruitful outcomes in infrastructure, manufacturing, industrial parks, energy and mineral resources and other fields. Chinese enterprises’ investment and operation of industrial parks such as the Eastern Industrial Park and key projects such as cement and natural gas, support Ethiopia in leveraging its advantages in factors such as resources and labor force to establish and improve industrial and supply chains and supporting facilities in areas such as textile and garment, building materials, food and beverages, medicine, steel, plastics and machinery. This supports Ethiopia in enhancing its production and manufacturing capacity, accelerating import substitution and local value addition, and integrating into global industrial and value chains. The Ethio-Djibouti Railway supports the Ethiopia’s import and export of critical supplies such as oil products, automobiles and coffee, which boosts the economic belt along the Railway and greatly enhances Ethiopia’s connectivity with neighboring countries. Chinese enterprises also actively participate in the construction of the Bishoftu International Airport project,  cooperation in infrastructure construction between the two countries continues to deepen.

China and Ethiopia have strengthened complementary advantages and innovation-driven development in emerging industries, supporting Ethiopia in striving to be a pioneer in Africa’s digital economy and green development.

Facing the new round of global technological revolution and industrial transformation, the two sides are actively expanding cooperation in emerging industries. The Ethiopian government has shown its ambition and actions for digital and intelligent development, implementing two rounds of Digital Ethiopia strategy. Chinese enterprises have helped Ethiopia build a complete industrial ecosystem including mobile payments, e-commerce, AI, enabling digital and intelligent technologies to better benefit people’s livelihood, business and government service, and laying the foundation for digital empowerment of Ethiopia Tamrit. Infrastructure cooperation between the two sides has crossed from hard connectivity to soft connectivity. Green development is another highlight of China-Ethiopia cooperation. Ethiopia is rich in renewable energy, and Chinese enterprises provide mature, affordable and scalable new energy equipment and technologies. From electrified railway to electric vehicles, from waste-to-energy plants to zero-emission industrial park, from large-scale hydro-power station to photo-voltaic micro-grid, China supports Ethiopia in optimizing its energy structure, upgrading its industrial structure and enhancing its climate resilience, and contributes to Ethiopia’s hosting COP 32. Not long ago, electric heavy-duty trucks produced in China were used on a large scale in Ethiopia for the first time, which is an example of the two sides’ efforts to deal with the global energy shock and promote high-quality green development cooperation.

China has always advocated Chinese enterprises’ active fulfillment of their social responsibilities, integration with local economic and social development, and supported Ethiopia’s international cooperation in industrial and supply chain.

China encourages and guides the “go global” Chinese enterprises to fully integrate social responsibilities into local business development strategies, major decisions and cultural construction while doing a good job in project operation, contract fulfillment, quality and market development, and to support improvement of local people’s livelihood and social harmony in aspects such as localization, labor relations, community relations, people-to-people exchanges and participation in public welfare undertakings. Chinese enterprises in Ethiopia have achieved positive results in promoting ESG systems, protecting workers’ rights and interests, production safety management, and knowledge and skills transfer. China Chamber of Commerce in Ethiopia plans to host a new session of the Chinese Enterprises’ Social Responsibility Forum, which will serve as an important platform for Chinese enterprises in Ethiopia to practice the concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind through concrete actions.

China will continue to support Ethiopia’s industrialization, on the journey of joining hands to advance modernization, practicing true multilateralism and advocating for universally beneficial, inclusive economic globalization.

At present, unilateralism and protectionism are on the rise, geopolitical conflicts are intensifying, and international cooperation is facing multiple challenges. The road ahead of Africa’s industrialization is not smooth. At the Invest in Ethiopia High-Level Business Forum 2026, Chinese enterprises signed a number of cooperation agreements covering new energy, equipment manufacturing, green chemicals and other fields, demonstrating firm confidence in Ethiopia’s industrialization development prospects. China will enhance communication and coordination with Ethiopia, closely align with the needs of Ethiopia’s economic and social development, give full play to China’s advantages such as its vast market and complete industrial system, and continue to support Ethiopia in seizing the opportunities of digitalization and green development. Strengthen cooperation with Ethiopia in vocational education and help it cultivate a group of professionals in the fields of industrialization and agricultural modernization. Support Ethiopia’s early accession to the WTO to help enhance its global market competitiveness and better integrate into the global economy.