African manufacturers and trade officials have called on the continent to draw lessons from China’s industrial transformation by strengthening long-term planning, investing in innovation and skills, and pursuing a development path suited to Africa’s own conditions.

On the sidelines of the 2026 Manufacturing Indaba in Johannesburg on Wednesday, Rhyan Injendi, Kenya’s commercial and trade attache at the High Commission in Pretoria, said that China’s success demonstrates the importance of strategic planning and consistent implementation.

“If we want to achieve something in industrialisation, we must first have a clear plan, supported by research and well-defined targets. China plans first, develops a program of action, and then implements it step by step,” he said.

For Tapiwa Samanga, group chief executive officer (CEO) of the Production Technologies Association of South Africa, one of China’s greatest strengths lies in its ability to coordinate industrial development and build globally competitive manufacturing ecosystems.

Recalling a recent visit to Shanghai, Samanga said he was impressed by the concentration of advanced manufacturers and the strong industrial clusters that underpin China’s competitiveness.

“They identify strategic sectors and build entire industrial ecosystems around them. We visited an area where there were about 3,000 globally competitive tool rooms. That level of clustering makes it very difficult to compete,” he said.

As Africa’s consumer market continues to grow, Samanga said the continent should encourage partnerships with Chinese investors in ways that strengthen local industries, facilitate technology transfer and help African manufacturers integrate into global value chains.

Muntanga Lindunda, CEO of the Zambia Association of Manufacturers, said that Africa should embrace innovation and automation to enhance competitiveness while recognizing that China’s development model cannot simply be replicated.

Noting that China has built its strength through large-scale production and continuous innovation, she said African countries should adapt those experiences to their own circumstances and leverage regional cooperation to advance industrialization.

The Manufacturing Indaba is an annual platform dedicated to promoting Africa’s reindustrialization by supporting local manufacturing, facilitating investment and strengthening industrial partnerships.

This year’s event brought together more than 500 participants from across the continent to discuss strategies for boosting industrialization, investment and regional manufacturing cooperation.

• A Tell Media / Xinhua report