At the thirteenth meeting of the Council of Ministers, held on Friday, September 13, 2024, Minister of Foreign Trade Julien Paluku Kahongya discussed the participation of the Democratic Republic of Congo in the China-Africa Forum. In his speech, he recalled that the DRC-China Economic Forum stemmed from the joint desire of Presidents Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo and Xi Jinping to elevate Sino-Congolese relations to the level of comprehensive cooperation and strategic partnership, as agreed during the Congolese President's visit to China in May 2023.

The minister stressed that the two heads of state had expressed the wish to see cooperation and exchanges between the two countries intensify. He added that significant efforts had already been made. Indeed, China's exports to the DRC have recorded an increase with an average annual rate of 36%, from 1.6 billion USD in 2017 to 5.06 billion USD in 2022. For the year 2023, according to the customs administration, China's exports to the DRC amounted to 4.486 billion USD, while imports from the DRC to China reached 18.754 billion USD, thus generating a positive trade balance of 14.268 billion USD.

The Minister of Foreign Trade also welcomed the decision taken by President Tshisekedi, announced during the extraordinary council of ministers on Monday, September 9, to create a Task Force responsible for preparing a plan to allow the DRC to access the 50 billion USD announced by President Xi Jinping.

The China-Africa Forum (FOCAC), held from September 4 to 6, 2024, was attended by several heads of state and government. China, the continent's main partner, remains the main destination for Chinese investment in Africa, thus offering the Congolese authorities the opportunity to strengthen their strategic partnership with Beijing.