27 January, 2021 (232News)
BENJIN – New challenges create new opportunities and the new situation requires new methods
After the founding of New China, the people of China and Africa fought side by side in the struggle against imperialism and proliferative hegemony, and China-Africa friendship lasted a long time in the wind and waves. China fully supports the African National Liberation Movement, and its brothers in Africa have given China strong support in international affairs and issues involving China’s vital interests, and China and Africa jointly defend international equity and justice. Since the new century, the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation has grown from nothing to strength, and China-Africa relations have achieved leapfrogging development from “new partnership” and “new strategic partnership” to “comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership”, and China-Africa cooperation has maintained a leading position in international cooperation with Africa.
Today’s world is undergoing a hundred years of great changes, a new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial changes in-depth development, the international strength of the profound adjustment, the new Coronavirus epidemic has a wide range of far-reaching impacts, the uncertainty around international environmental instability has increased significantly. The development of China-Africa relations is faced with new contradictions and challenges brought about by the complex international environment, which requires us to accurately understand change, respond scientifically and actively seek change, to advance in the crisis, to open a new situation in a changing situation, to seize the opportunity and to forge ahead. In October 2000, the first ministerial meeting of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation was held in Beijing, becoming a landmark event in the history of China-Africa relations. Over the past 20 years, the Forum has followed the trend of the times of peace, development and cooperation and has become a model for leading the way in cooperation, practicing multilateralism and adhering to mutual benefit and win-win results.
The concept of China-Africa cooperation keeps pace with the times. Faced with the important proposition of “where to come from, what way to go and where to go” in China-Africa relations, President Xi Jinping followed the trend of the times and put forward the concept of true sincerity and correct righteousness during his visit to Africa in 2013, and Johannesburg, 2015 Forum The summit promoted China-Africa relations to a “comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership”, and at the 2018 Beijing Summit of the Forum, the principles of “four adherences” and “five nos” were put forward and the “six-in-one” community of destiny was established. To provide strategic guidance for the development of China-Africa relations.
China-Africa relations have developed in an all-round and in-depth way. Over the past 20 years, the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation has held three summits and seven ministerial meetings, launched a large number of policies and financial support initiatives, and promoted the full flowering of China-Africa cooperation in various fields. In 2019, China-Africa trade and China’s stock of direct investment in Africa increased 20 and 100 times, respectively, compared with 2000. Dozens of China-Africa economic and trade cooperation zones and industrial parks, nearly 20 ports, more than 80 large-scale power facilities, 45 stadiums, more than 130 medical facilities, more than 170 schools in Africa, the African Union Convention Center, the Mone Railway, the Maputo Bridge and other projects carrying the African countries “dream of the century” have been completed, China-Africa news exchange center, think tank forum, youth congress, Luban Workshop and other mechanisms have become stronger.
People-to-people exchanges between China and Africa are frequent and hot. The African proverb says, “Sharing the way forward is a true friend”. Central Africans’ perception of each other has gone from being African brothers in news broadcasts to classmates, mutually beneficial business partners and friends travelling together. Sierra Leonean singer Maria trekked to the disaster area at the first moment after the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, taking the lead in raising money for China at the beginning of the outbreak of Coronavirus. Many African volunteers are actively involved in the prevention and control of outbreaks in Chinese communities and spread moving stories about China’s fight against the epidemic on social platforms. WeChat public platforms such as Bob Africa not only bring together a group of travel enthusiasts who love Africa, but also are enthusiastic about public welfare and send warmth to the children of African orphanages. It is our greatest confidence that the people of Central Africa will forge ahead in a new era together.
China-Africa international cooperation is in sync with each other. The tragic historical encounter of being bullied by western powers and the urgent demands of the national rejuvenation of developing countries have made the pursuit of international fairness and justice between China and Africa into the blood and indelible. History will always be on the side of justice, and retrograde actions will inevitably fail. In the face of unilateralism and bullying, any independent country and independent people will be brave enough to say “no”. We hold high the banner of fairness and justice again and again, oppose threats and interference in the internal affairs of other countries, insist on treating each other as equals, coexist peacefully, work together to safeguard the overall interests of developing countries and build a community of human destiny.
Stepping through the Qingshan people’s old scenery this side of the unique present, China has entered a new stage of development of building a socialist modern country in an all-round way, the African continent’s free trade zone to promote Africa’s joint self-improvement and integration to accelerate development, China and Africa in line with the trend of the times, showing an urgent desire to strengthen solidarity and cooperation. In a congratulatory message on the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, President Xi Jinping and Senegalese President Salle said that China and Africa are willing to continue to uphold the spirit of solidarity and cooperation and jointly address all kinds of risks and challenges so that China-Africa cooperation can become a model of multilateralism and mutual benefit and win-win results, and make positive contributions to safeguarding international equity and justice. Not long ago, State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi made a successful visit to Nigeria, Congo (DRC), Botswana, Tanzania, Seychelles and other countries, continuing the fine tradition of the Chinese Foreign Minister visiting Africa every year since 1991, and working hard to open up new areas of China-Africa cooperation and promote the new development of China-Africa relations.
Political mutual trust is growing. China is the largest developing country, Africa is the continent with the largest concentration of developing countries, the two sides have similar views in international affairs, the same demands, they are natural allies. In the face of the great changes that have not been made in a hundred years and the impact of the Coronavirus epidemic, China and Africa have always trusted and supported each other, and issued a common voice of the Chines and African people, effectively safeguarding the overall interests of developing countries. Any attack by outside forces will not negate the remarkable achievements of China-Africa cooperation, let’s set the momentum of the vigorous development of China-Africa relations.
Unity against the epidemic has a sound and colour. “One side has difficulties, eight sides support.” At the most difficult time in China’s fight against the epidemic, we are mindful of the more than 50 African leaders who called or issued statements of condolence and support to China. “Put it in peaches and report it to Lee.” After the outbreak in Africa, China took the lead in providing medical material assistance to all African members of the Forum, sent anti-epidemic medical experts to 15 African countries, and supported non-medical teams to fight side by side with the African people. During the critical period of African epidemic control, the leaders of China and Africa successfully convened a special summit on unity against epidemics, which demonstrated the destiny and brotherhood of China and Africa, and further pointed the way and injected strong impetus into China-Africa anti-epidemic cooperation. China-Africa friendship has been sublimation in unity against the epidemic and in the face of difficult times.
Post-epidemic cooperation is on the rise. This year marks the beginning of China’s 14th Five-Year Plan and the official launch of the African Continent’s Free Trade Area. African leaders have made concerted efforts to accelerate the development of the continent’s free trade zone, demonstrating a strong political desire for joint self-improvement and an urgent desire to revive the economy. The development stages of China and Africa are highly complementary. Africa’s resource endowments, demographic dividends and other potentials continue to be released, the process of industrialization continues to advance, is expected to become China’s capital, technology, experience, the ideal place to undertake, for China-Africa development.
The vastness of the line is endless sailing but the new challenges of the letter wind require new responsibilities, new situations call for new acts. This year, a new session of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation will be held in Senegal, and China and Africa will work together to open a new chapter in post-epidemic cooperation. We will uphold the new development concept of “innovation, coordination, green, openness and sharing”, promote the transformation and upgrading of China-Africa cooperation, work together to build a closer Community of Destiny of China and Africa, the Community of Health and Health, and the Community of Development, so that the fruits of China-Africa cooperation will benefit the people of China and Africa more and contribute to the building of a community of human destiny.
Expand cooperation between private enterprises to help Africa’s industrialization process. At present, private enterprises account for 90% of China’s enterprises and become an important driving force for China-Africa cooperation and development. We should encourage and support more Chinese private enterprises to invest in Africa, while supporting infrastructure construction and connectivity in Africa, increase investment in non-manufacturing industries, enhance the added value of products, and help Africa achieve economic diversification and industrial modernization.
Promote free trade cooperation and develop e-commerce platforms. Both China and Africa have always been strong supporters of free trade and multilateralism. The construction of the African free trade zone has been officially launched, and we will explore ways to promote China-Africa FTA cooperation, deepen the supply chain connectivity of the industrial chain, make full use of new models such as e-commerce to promote the development of China-Africa trade after the epidemic, and help African countries to better develop china’s high-quality products and integrate into China’s new dual-cycle development pattern.
Deepen health cooperation and build people’s livelihood brand projects. China will earnestly fulfill its solemn commitment to promote the new crown vaccine as a global public product and take the lead in benefiting African countries to help them overcome the epidemic at an early time and mitigate the economic impact of the epidemic. China and Africa will further deepen cooperation in the field of eliminating traditional infectious diseases such as malaria and accelerate the construction of the headquarters of the African Center for Disease Control and Prevention, China-Africa Friendship Hospital and other livelihood brand projects.
Promote exchanges between Chinese and African youth and strengthen cooperation in vocational education. African youth are a great dividend to Africa’s development and a hope for China-Africa relations. We should further promote the development of Chinese vocational colleges and universities into Africa, carry out cooperation in vocational and technical education between China and Africa, set up more “Luban Workshops”, provide vocational skills training to African youth, contribute energy efficiency to Africa’s development, and expand exchanges between Chinese and African youth to carry forward the tradition of Friendship between China and Africa. In addition, China and Africa will expand cooperation in modern agriculture, smart cities, clean energy, 5G and other new industries, promote the high-quality development of China-Africa “Belt and Road” together, jointly actively address global challenges such as climate change, jointly participate in the global governance process, promote the development of the international order in a more equitable and reasonable direction, and work together to build a world of lasting peace, universal security, common prosperity, openness, inclusiveness and clean beauty.
