China will boost investment in Africa and will be importing more products from the continent, said the Chinese Ministry of Commerce.

Vice Minister of Commerce Qian Keming told a news briefing last week that China would export more “advanced industrial production capacity to African countries”.

China would also “diversify imports from the continent and buy more products in addition to primary commodities,” he said, quoted by Chinese state-run news agency Xinhua. Primary commodities currently account for a significant amount of China-Africa trade, he added.

China would also unveil a range of proposals at the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (Focac) next month, “helping African countries upgrade industrial structure, safeguard food security and build infrastructure,” he noted.

The Second Summit of Focac will be held in Johannesburg, South Africa, on December 4-5.