China has been Africa's largest trading partner for the 12 years since 2009, according to a white paper published Friday.

Visitors buy African merchandise during the Second China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo in Changsha, capital of central China's Hunan Province, Sept. 28, 2021. (Xinhua/Chen Sihan)

The proportion of Africa's trade with China in the continent's total external trade has continued to rise, which exceeded 21 percent in 2020, said the white paper titled "China and Africa in the New Era: A Partnership of Equals."

The structure of China-Africa trade is also improving, said the document, adding that there has been a marked increase in technology in China's exports to Africa, with the export of mechanical and electrical products and high-tech products now accounting for more than 50 percent of the total.