Competitiveness and Evolution of China–Africa Trade Network: Evidence from Value-Added Extend Decomposition

In the last decades, China–Africa trade ties have deepened. However, traditional trade accounting methods fail to fully reflect the complexity of international trade. This study applies the Wang-Wei-Zhu decomposition to analyze the evolution of the China–Africa value-added trade network from 1990 to 2021, focusing on the value of intermediate and final exports. It also examines structural changes and measures the revealed comparative advantage (RCA) based on value-added trade, assessed through forward and backward industrial linkages. Following are the findings: (1) The value-added trade network has expanded and exhibits small-world characteristics, though it remains concentrated in a few countries. (2) China’s influence is growing, shifting the network core from South Africa to China. (3) The trade network shows significant imbalances, with African countries mainly sending intermediate exports, such as raw materials, to China for processing, while China sends a large volume of final exports to Africa for direct consumption. (4) The RCA analysis highlights key differences between China and Africa. Africa’s RCA is primarily concentrated in the primary sectors, followed by services, with manufacturing being less developed. By contrast, China’s RCA is weaker in primary industries but stronger in low-tech manufacturing sectors.