Chinese President Xi Jinping, in the keynote speech he delivered at the opening ceremony of the 2018 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) on Monday, made an important judgement on world trend and China-Africa relations and mapped out a brighter future for the common development of both sides.
Following are a few selected remarks Xi made on the future direction of China-Africa relations, the way to build a China-Africa community with a shared future as well as the major measures China will introduce in the future.
Comment on China-Africa ties
With similar fate in the past and a common mission, China and Africa have extended sympathy to and helped each other throughout all the years. Together, we have embarked on a distinctive path of win-win cooperation.
Responses to obstruction on China-Africa ties
- For China, we are always Africa’s good friend, good partner and the good brother. No one could undermine the great unity between the Chinese people and the African people.
- China follows the principle of giving more and taking less, giving before taking and giving without asking for return. With open arms, we welcome African countries aboard the express train of China’s development. No one could hold back the Chinese people or the African people as we march toward rejuvenation.
- Ultimately, it is for the peoples of China and Africa to judge the performance of China-Africa cooperation. No one could deny the remarkable achievements made in China-Africa cooperation, not with their assumption or imagination.
- China welcomes and supports all initiatives that meet Africa’s interests,and believes that it should be the same with the wider international community. No one could stand in the way or obstruct international efforts to support Africa’s development.
“Five-no” approach in China’s relations with Africa
The over 1.3 billion Chinese people have been with the over 1.2 billion African people in pursuing a shared future. We respect Africa, love Africa and support Africa.
We follow a “five-no” approach in our relations with Africa: no interference in African countries’ pursuit of development paths that fit their national conditions; no interference in African countries’ internal affairs; no imposition of our will on African countries; no attachment of political strings to assistance to Africa; and no seeking of selfish political gains in investment and financing cooperation with Africa.
We hope this “five-no” approach could apply to other countries as they deal with matters regarding Africa.
Taking China’s responsibilities at the call of the times
Our world is undergoing profound changes unseen in a century. We are firm in our conviction that peace and development remain the underlying trend of our times. Indeed, they are the call of the times.
- To respond to the call of the times, China takes it its mission to make na ew and even greater contribution to mankind.
- To respond to the call of the times, China is ready to jointly promote the Belt and Road Initiative with international partners.
- To respond to the call of the times, China will get actively involved in global governance and stay committed to the vision of consultation, cooperation and benefit for all in global governance.
- To respond to the call of the times, China will remain committed to opening-up.
Six key words on China-Africa community with a shared future
1. Assume our joint responsibility
We could increase political and policy dialogue at various levels, enhance mutual understanding and support on issues involving each other’s core interests and major concerns, and boost coordination on major international and regional issues. Such efforts will enable us to uphold the common interests of China and Africa as well as other developing countries.
2. Pursue win-win cooperation
We could both seize the opportunity created by the complementarity between our respective development strategies and the major opportunities presented by the Belt and Road Initiative. We need to see to it that the Belt and Road Initiative and the AU Agenda 2063, the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the development programs of African countries better complement each other.
3. Deliver happiness for all of us
Making lives better for our people is what we aim to achieve in growing China-Africa relations; so, we need to make sure our cooperation delivers real benefits to us both in China and in Africa.
4. Enjoy cultural prosperity
By enhancing exchanges, mutual learning and harmonious co-existence of our civilizations, we will inject lasting impetus into invigorating our civilizations and cultures, enriching our artistic creations, and provide rich cultural nourishment for China-Africa cooperation. With more people-to-people exchanges in culture and art, education, sports, and between our think tanks, the media, and women and young people, we will strengthen the bond between the people of China and Africa.
5. Enjoy common security
We firmly support African countries and the African Union as well as other regional organizations in Africa in solving African issues in the African way, and we support the African initiative of “Silence the Guns in Africa”. China is ready to play a constructive role in promoting peace and stability in Africa and will support African countries to strengthen their independent capacity for safeguarding stability and peace.
6. Promote harmony between man and nature
China will work with Africa to pursue green, low-carbon, circular and sustainable development. We will strengthen exchange and cooperation with Africa on climate change, clean energy, prevention and control of desertification and soil erosion, protection of wildlife and other areas of ecological and environmental preservation.
Eight major initiatives to build an even closer China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era
China will, on the basis of the ten cooperation plans already adopted, launch eight major initiatives in close collaboration with African countries in the next three years and beyond. The initiatives are listed as;
- China will launch an industrial promotion initiative.
- China will launch an infrastructure connectivity initiative.
- China will launch a trade facilitation initiative.
- We will launch a green development initiative.
- We will launch a capacity building initiative.
- We will launch a health care initiative.
- We will launch a people-to-people exchange initiative.
- We will launch a peace and security initiative.
(Source: People’s Daily)
