KAMPALA, March 17 (Xinhua) -- China's recently approved 15th Five-Year Plan presents opportunities that African countries can leverage as they pursue their own development paths, analysts said at a symposium here on Tuesday.
The event, held under the theme "Strategic Alignment for Prosperity: Deepening China-Uganda Ties in the 15th Five-Year Plan Era," brought together researchers, academics and government officials. It was convened by the Development Watch Centre (DWC), a Ugandan think tank.
Arthur Atuha, a research fellow at DWC, said that countries like Uganda can tap into China's technological and innovation advances to fast-track production for the Chinese market.
In February, China announced that it will implement zero-tariff treatment from May 1 for products from 53 African countries with diplomatic ties.
According to the Chinese embassy, countries such as Uganda are already benefiting from China's expanding market access, particularly through the zero-tariff policy. Bilateral trade between China and Uganda reached 2.1 billion U.S. dollars in 2025, up 43.5 percent year on year. China's imports from Uganda also rose to 138 million dollars, a 73.8 percent increase. Authorities are also finalizing quarantine protocols for exporting sorghum, chia seeds and avocados to China.
"We need to interest ourselves in digital marketing. China has availed a number of platforms; if we use them, we get to expand the market base of our products," Atuha said.
Vuyo Mjimba, a researcher at South Africa's Human Sciences Research Council, said that China's 15th Five-Year Plan underscores the importance for African countries to remain committed to their own development priorities rather than relying on external prescriptions.
Joshua Kingdom, a researcher at DWC, said that China has already laid a foundation in Africa for deeper trade engagement as it advances modernization and high-quality development. Under the Belt and Road Initiative, China has supported the construction of key energy and transport infrastructure that can help African countries seize emerging opportunities, he added.
On March 11, China approved its development blueprint for 2026-2030, marking a key stage in advancing modernization and high-quality development.
Fan Xuecheng, charge d'affaires ad interim at the Chinese embassy in Uganda, told the symposium that the plan will prioritize scientific and technological innovation and industrial upgrading. It will accelerate the development of the digital economy, artificial intelligence, new energy and high-end manufacturing, while promoting green development.
Fan said that over the next decade, China is expected to import more than 20 trillion U.S. dollars' worth of goods and services, creating vast market opportunities worldwide. ■