China–Madagascar relations

China–Madagascar relations refer to the bilateral relations between China and Madagascar. China and Madagascar established diplomatic relations on November 6, 1972.[1]: 347  China has an embassy in Antananarivo and Madagascar has an embassy in Beijing.

China–Madagascar relations
Map indicating locations of China and Madagascar

China

Madagascar

Diplomatic relations

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The People's Republic of China and Madagascar established diplomatic ties on 6 November 1972. The two governments signed a trade agreement[2] in January 1974, a trade, economic and technical cooperation agreement[3] in June 1995, an agreement on the establishment of a mixed commission for economic and commercial cooperation and an agreement on bilateral investment promotion and protection[4] in November 2005.[5]

In March 2017, China and Madagascar established a comprehensive cooperation partnership, and the two sides signed a memorandum of understanding on the joint promotion of the Belt and Road Initiative. Madagascar is among the first African countries to sign a cooperation document on BRI with China.[5]

In January 2019, He Wei, special envoy of Chinese leader, CCP general secretary Xi Jinping and vice chairman of the National Committee of CPPCC, visited Madagascar and attended the inauguration ceremony of newly elected President Andry Rajoelina.[6] In November 2019, Chinese Vice Premier Sun Chunlan visited Madagascar, met with President Rajoelina and Prime Minister Christian Ntsay, and visited the Chinese Medical Mission to Madagascar.[7]

Economic relations

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According to the Malagasy customs, China has been Madagascar's biggest trading partner and biggest source of import since 2015. In 2020, the bilateral trade in goods reached US$930 million, accounting for 18.1% of Madagascar's total foreign trade.[5]

According to China's Ministry of Commerce, the flow of China's direct investment to Madagascar was US$136 million in 2020 and the stock of investment has reached US$391 million at the end of 2020.[8] The Chinese enterprises in Madagascar have carried out corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities, contributing to the country's economic, social development and improving people's livelihood.[9]

Development cooperation

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Since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1972, China has assisted Madagascar in a number of economic and social projects, including the construction of a Primary School for China-Africa Friendship, the construction of and technical support to the Sports and Cultural Palace, the International Conference Center at Ivato, and the Anosiala Hospital.[10] In 1975, China agreed to provide Madagascar with aid for the development of the Moramanga-Andranonampango Highway.[11]: 40  The highway was funded with an interest-free loan from China and was completed in 1985.[11]: 40 

In recent years, China has continued supporting the Chinese medical mission[12] and technical experts to Madagascar, deepened human resources development cooperation, and carried out a series of infrastructure and social projects, such as the expressway between Ivato Airport and the Boulevard de l'Europe, the Tsarasaotra-Ivato expressway, the "Eggs Road",[13] well-drilling, etc.[5] The assistance and cooperation have contributed to the socio-economic recovery of Madagascar and brought tangible benefits to the Malagasy people.[14]

In early 2019, the newly inaugurated President Rajoelina inspected the 200 well-drilling project in the south,[15] and attended the inauguration ceremonies of the extension and renovation project of the expressway linking Port Toamasina and the RN2[16] and the rehabilitation project of the RN5A in the north.[17]

From 2000 to 2011, there were approximately 19 Chinese official development finance projects identified in Madagascar through various media reports.[18] These projects range from developing a new 40.5 MW hydroelectric plant in the Betsiboka River basin with a loan from the Chinese Export Import Bank,[19] to the construction of an international conference center in Antananarivo.[20]

References

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  1. ^ Shinn, David H.; Eisenman, Joshua (2023). China's Relations with Africa: a New Era of Strategic Engagement. New York: Columbia University Press. ISBN 978-0-231-21001-0.
  2. ^ "中马贸易协定(1974年1月18日)--中华人民共和国驻马达加斯加共和国大使馆经济商务参赞处". mg.mofcom.gov.cn. Retrieved 2019-12-01.
  3. ^ "中马贸易、经济和技术合作协定(1995年6月30日)--中华人民共和国驻马达加斯加共和国大使馆经济商务参赞处". mg.mofcom.gov.cn. Retrieved 2019-12-01.
  4. ^ "Accord sur la promotion et la protection réciproques des investissements entre la Chine et Madagascar". mg.mofcom.gov.cn. Retrieved 2019-12-01.
  5. ^ a b c d "Aperçu de la coopération économique entre la Chine et Madagascar en 2020". mg.mofcom.gov.cn. Retrieved 2021-08-01.
  6. ^ "Le président malgache rencontre l'envoyé spécial du président chinois Xi Jinping". mg.mofcom.gov.cn. Retrieved 2019-12-01.
  7. ^ "La vice-premier ministre chinois Sun Chunlan en visite à Madagascar". mg.mofcom.gov.cn. Retrieved 2019-12-01.
  8. ^ "Aperçu de la coopération économique entre la Chine et Madagascar en 2020". mofcom.gov.cn. Retrieved 2021-09-26.
  9. ^ "Chinese enterprises are not left behind in assuming corporate social responsibility". mofcom.gov.cn. Retrieved 2019-12-26.
  10. ^ "中马合作简介(2016)--中华人民共和国驻马达加斯加共和国大使馆经济商务参赞处". mg.mofcom.gov.cn. Retrieved 2019-12-05.
  11. ^ a b Strange, Austin (2023-12-21). Chinese Global Infrastructure (EPUB). Elements in Global China. Cambridge University Press. doi:10.1017/9781009090902. ISBN 978-1-009-09090-2.
  12. ^ "Trente médecins chinois décorés pour leur action à Madagascar". mg.mofcom.gov.cn. Retrieved 2019-12-05.
  13. ^ "Madagascar : "la route des œufs" devrait conduire à la prospérité". mg.mofcom.gov.cn. Retrieved 2019-12-05.
  14. ^ "Coopération sino-malagasy: " pragmatisme, égalité et avantage réciproque " selon Atallah Béatrice - Ministère des Affaires Etrangères". www.diplomatie.gov.mg. Archived from the original on July 26, 2021. Retrieved 2019-12-05.
  15. ^ "Le président malgache inspecte le projet de 200 forages aidé par la Chine". mg.mofcom.gov.cn. Retrieved 2019-12-05.
  16. ^ "Promesse présidentielle : un mois plus tard la pose de la première pierre de la voie rapide reliant le port de Toamasina et la RN2 s'est faite". Présidence de la République de Madagascar (in French). Retrieved 2019-12-05.
  17. ^ "Ambilobe-Vohemar : lancement officiel des travaux de réhabilitation et de bitumage de la RN5A". Présidence de la République de Madagascar (in French). Retrieved 2019-12-05.
  18. ^ Austin Strange, Bradley C. Parks, Michael J. Tierney, Andreas Fuchs, Axel Dreher, and Vijaya Ramachandran. 2013. China’s Development Finance to Africa: A Media-Based Approach to Data Collection. CGD Working Paper 323. Washington DC: Center for Global Development.[1]
  19. ^ "Strange, Parks, Tierney, Fuchs, Dreher, and Ramachandran, China's Development Finance to Africa: A Media-Based Approach to Data Collection". Archived from the original on 2013-07-08. Retrieved 2013-07-08.
  20. ^ "Strange, Parks, Tierney, Fuchs, Dreher, and Ramachandran, China's Development Finance to Africa: A Media-Based Approach to Data Collection". Archived from the original on 2013-07-08. Retrieved 2013-07-08.