The Democratic Republic of Congo and China signed a landmark agreement in 2007, which has drawn widespread criticism in recent years. Indeed, the contract signed by the two parties under the regime of Joseph Kabila has been described as the “contract of the century”, because China had undertaken to build infrastructure in exchange for the exploitation of the mineral wealth of the DRC.
However, an IGF investigative report revealed that the Democratic Republic of Congo had been disadvantaged by this contract, because China had only invested 18.38% of the funds mobilized in the financing of infrastructure works.
President Felix Tshisekedi traveled to China to renegotiate this contract and made the first state visit between the two countries. The discussions resulted in an agreement to strengthen Sino-Congolese cooperation and to revitalize the China-DRC Joint Economic and Trade Cooperation Commission. The two countries agreed to “further value and carefully safeguard” the partnership and exchange experiences to enhance the synergy between modernization with Chinese characteristics in China and the economic and social development goals of the DRC.
Félix Tshisekedi declared that the objective is to further consolidate and expand Sino-Congolese cooperation based on sound foundations guaranteeing the principles of mutual respect, fairness and transparency beneficial to both the Congolese people and the Chinese people.
Despite persistent criticism, the DRC is determined to take advantage of its mineral wealth in cooperation with China, its historical partner