Why China's slowdown is good news for Africa

by Isaac Kwaku Fokuo Jr, Special to CNN

Updated 9:20 AM ET, Fri December 11, 2015

Angolan President Jose Eduardo Dos Santos (L) shakes hands with Chinese premier Li Keqiang (R) before their meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on June 9, 2015. Angola is Africa's second largest oil producer, and their biggest buyer is China.
Photos: China-Africa relations in 10 handshakes
Angolan President Jose Eduardo Dos Santos (L) shakes hands with Chinese premier Li Keqiang (R) before their meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on June 9, 2015. Angola is Africa's second largest oil producer, and their biggest buyer is China.
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Cameroon Prime Minister Philemon Yang (L) shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) before their meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on June 19, 2015. China invested $3billion to Cameroon in 2011 towards the Memve'ele Dam project in the south of the country.
Photos: China-Africa relations in 10 handshakes
Cameroon Prime Minister Philemon Yang (L) shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) before their meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on June 19, 2015. China invested $3billion to Cameroon in 2011 towards the Memve'ele Dam project in the south of the country.
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Mauritania's President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz (L) shakes hands with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang at the Great Hall of the People on September 15, 2015 in Beijing, China. Mauritania has seen significant investment from China, particularly in the important Nouakchott Port. The relationship has endured despite frequent political instability in Mauritania.
Photos: China-Africa relations in 10 handshakes
Mauritania's President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz (L) shakes hands with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang at the Great Hall of the People on September 15, 2015 in Beijing, China. Mauritania has seen significant investment from China, particularly in the important Nouakchott Port. The relationship has endured despite frequent political instability in Mauritania.
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Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) shakes hands with Ethiopia's Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn (L) at The Great Hall Of The People on September 4, 2015 in Beijing, China. Thanks to Chinese investment. Ethiopia has become the only African to have an electrified rail network apart from South Africa. This investment in infrastructure has been a great boon to Ethiopia's recent economic progress.
Photos: China-Africa relations in 10 handshakes
Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) shakes hands with Ethiopia's Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn (L) at The Great Hall Of The People on September 4, 2015 in Beijing, China. Thanks to Chinese investment. Ethiopia has become the only African to have an electrified rail network apart from South Africa. This investment in infrastructure has been a great boon to Ethiopia's recent economic progress.
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China's Premier, Li Keqiang (L) shakes hands with Kenyan President, Uhuru Kenyatta on May 10, 2014 at State House in the capital, Nairobi. Premier Li Keqiang arrived in Nairobi the day before on the final leg of a four-nation Africa tour, in a visit expected to boost trade, transport links and conservation and his first since taking office, with the world's second-biggest economy keen to boost its presence on the continent to find new markets and opportunities.
Photos: China-Africa relations in 10 handshakes
China's Premier, Li Keqiang (L) shakes hands with Kenyan President, Uhuru Kenyatta on May 10, 2014 at State House in the capital, Nairobi. Premier Li Keqiang arrived in Nairobi the day before on the final leg of a four-nation Africa tour, in a visit expected to boost trade, transport links and conservation and his first since taking office, with the world's second-biggest economy keen to boost its presence on the continent to find new markets and opportunities.
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China's President Xi Jinping (R) shakes hands with Liberia's President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf after a signing ceremony at the Great Hall of the People on November 3, 2015 in Beijing, China. The meeting was aimied at promoting bilateral relations. Liberia was one of the only African countries to recognize both the People's Republic of China (PRC) and the Republic of China (Taiwan), though later cut ties with Taiwan under pressure from the PRC.
Photos: China-Africa relations in 10 handshakes
China's President Xi Jinping (R) shakes hands with Liberia's President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf after a signing ceremony at the Great Hall of the People on November 3, 2015 in Beijing, China. The meeting was aimied at promoting bilateral relations. Liberia was one of the only African countries to recognize both the People's Republic of China (PRC) and the Republic of China (Taiwan), though later cut ties with Taiwan under pressure from the PRC.
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Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita (L) shakes hands with Chinese Premiere Li Keqiang (R) during the World Economic Forum in Tianjin in 2014. More recently, China has pledged to assist security operations in Mali, following an Islamist attack on a hotel in the capital Bamako in Novermber 2015. Three Chinese nationals, who worked for the state run China Railway Construction Corp, were killed.