The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is a beneficial attempt for African countries to seek sustainable development and realize independence. As the largest regional cooperation agreement in the world, the AfCFTA has only taken three years from the beginning of negotiations to the official entry into force. However, its construction process lagged far behind. Different from existing studies, this paper focuses on the internal and external deep-seated reasons that hinder the parties from reaching consensus in the initial stage, and focuses on identifying the challenges faced by the free trade area in the process of promoting integration. This paper analyzes how China should find opportunities from the key issues in the construction of the Free Trade area in the new era, jointly promote the in-depth docking of the free trade area and the "Belt and Road" Initiative, and commit to participate in the construction of the China-Africa community of shared future for mankind. Due to the weak political will of African leaders, structural obstacles in African economies, and the long-standing huge funding gap, the initial process of the construction of the free trade area lags far behind expectations. In the decade of the new era, China has made historic achievements, which are reflected in its proactive grasp of historical development. The cooperation between China and the Free Trade area should be based on the practical basis of China-Africa cooperation, seize the historical opportunity, take the initiative to participate in the framework and mechanism building of the free trade area, strive to achieve a higher level of political mutual trust between China and Africa, establish a long-term liaison mechanism with the free trade area, promote industrial adjustment and upgrading, expand new areas of China-Africa cooperation, prevent risks and learn from experience, so as to achieve sustainable development.