Make new contributions to building a China-Africa community of common destiny in the new era

Source: People's Daily

On September 9, President Xi Jinping exchanged congratulatory messages with the Rotating Chairman of the African Union and President Sal of Senegal to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the African Union and the 20th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations with the Chinese African Union. The African person interviewed by this reporter said that the exchange of congratulatory messages from President Xi Jinping and President Sal fully reflects the great importance that the two sides attach to the development of Africa-China relations, and demonstrates the firm determination of China and African countries to seek cooperation and development and achieve mutual benefit and win-win results.

"The word pragmatic is the most vivid annotation of non-Chinese cooperation"

China and Africa have always been good friends, good partners and good brothers who share common ground. President Xi Jinping pointed out that over the past 20 years, the AFRICAN Union has led African countries to stride forward on the road of joint self-improvement, development, revitalization and integration, and demonstrated African strength in the journey of fighting the new crown pneumonia epidemic, safeguarding multilateralism and safeguarding the common interests of developing countries.

Shivni, vice chairman of the Egyptian-Chinese Friendship Association and former vice foreign minister of Egypt, said that China has always attached importance to its relations with Africa and has always been a trustworthy true friend of the African people. "China has provided great support to African countries in all aspects, and the concept of sincerity and sincerity and the correct concept of righteousness and interests upheld by China have been universally welcomed by the African people." Shivni believes that the vigorous development of Africa-China relations echoes the development and growth of the African Union, and promotes the continuous improvement of the voice of developing countries on the international stage.

"The word pragmatic is the most vivid annotation of non-Chinese cooperation." Uthman, dean of the Confucius Institute at the University of Khartoum in Sudan, said that in the 1970s and 1980s, he had a real understanding of the pragmatic spirit of Chinese people during his studies in China. "From the 'Ten Major Cooperation Plans' to the 'Eight Major Actions' to the 'Nine Projects', Africa-China cooperation has focused on people's livelihood, always aimed at improving people's livelihood and well-being, and effectively improved the lives of people in African countries."

"In the past 20 years, the trade volume between China and Africa has increased by 20 times, and this mutually beneficial relationship will be further strengthened with the continuous improvement of the construction of the African continental free trade area." Senegalese economist Samba analyzed that Africa-China economic and trade cooperation has continued to improve and has become the cornerstone of Africa-China comprehensive strategic cooperation. China's investment and cooperation in Africa's projects have benefited people's livelihood and greatly alleviated the imbalance in development in various regions of Africa. Many major infrastructure projects have not only enhanced the "hematopoietic" ability of African countries, but also created many local employment opportunities, "China will continue to bring more development opportunities to Africa."

The COVID-19 pandemic has not stopped the solid pace of China-Africa cooperation. "China is a good partner in sharing hardships and hardships in Africa, especially in the face of the challenge of the epidemic, China has given timely and selfless assistance and support to African countries." South African Parliamentarian Ziliz Munya said that in June 2020, the Special Summit on Africa-China Solidarity against the Epidemic was held, sending a voice to the world about Africa-China solidarity and cooperation and overcoming difficulties together. While calling on the international community to increase its support for Africa, China will provide anti-epidemic assistance to African countries within its capabilities, carry out production cooperation with African countries in masks, kits and vaccines, support Africa in strengthening interconnection and ensuring the construction of industrial chains and supply chains, and help African countries recover their economies.

"Chinese Friends' Projects to Benefit the People of Africa"

Over the past two decades, China-Africa friendly cooperation has continuously reached a new level. President Xi Jinping pointed out that China's relations with the African Union have withstood the test of the international situation, and the depth and breadth of cooperation have been continuously expanded, which has played an important leading role in inheriting the traditional friendship between China and Africa and strengthening unity and cooperation in the new era.

"In the past 20 years, the achievements of Africa-China cooperation have spread all over Africa." Kenyan international studies scholar Kavins Adehill said that in the field of economy and trade, China has been the largest trading partner in Africa for 13 consecutive years, and the scale of Africa-China trade has been expanding. Data show that China's contribution to Africa's economic growth rate is more than 20%. In the field of humanities, China has become a place for many young Africans to aspire to, and more and more Chinese to work, study and live in Africa. In the field of health, China has long sent medical personnel to Africa to provide experience and technology to help Africa improve its public health crisis response capacity.

In Congo (Brazzaville), from the National Highway 1, known as the "Road of Hope", to the China-Congo Friendship Hospital, which is fully equipped, first-class and medically skilled, from the magnificent New Parliament Building to the spectacular "August 15, 1960 Bridge", from the large Inbro Hydropower Station to the Brazzaville Kindler Complex with a capacity of 60,000 spectators... China has supported the construction of a large number of infrastructure that benefits people's livelihoods. Armand Moikua, honorary president of Congo (Brazzaville) Nguwabi University, said that China sincerely helps African countries develop, and through the joint construction of the "Belt and Road", China and African countries carry out pragmatic cooperation to achieve mutual benefit and win-win results. "Who is really good to us, who is our true friend, we know best in our hearts."

"A few days ago, I watched the 'Tiangong Dialogue - Shenzhou 14 Astronaut Crew and African Youth Q&A' online, and I was very touched. In recent years, there has been an increasing number of similar people-to-people exchanges between Africa and China, providing a new platform for African youth to learn knowledge and understand advanced science and technology. Moloy, deputy editor-in-chief of Botswana's Guardian, said that China has built many schools in Africa, giving poor children in remote areas the opportunity to receive education; Confucius Institutes are opened in dozens of African countries, where local students have the opportunity to learn about a more exciting external world through learning Chinese; Many African students study in China or master vocational skills through the Luban Workshop, opening up new possibilities for life development. "Everything China does for Africa is based on a sincere partnership to help Africa achieve sustainable development. Chinese Friends' projects to benefit the people have effectively benefited the African people. ”

"China contributes important forces to maintaining peace, stability and security in Africa"

Looking to the future, China-Africa friendship and cooperation will take advantage of the momentum and continue to write a new chapter. President Xi Jinping said that I attach great importance to the development of China-Africa UNION relations, and am willing to work with President Sal and other heads of state of THE AFRICAN member states to take the 20th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the African Union as a new starting point, carry forward the spirit of China-Africa friendship and cooperation, fully implement the outcomes of the Eighth Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, firmly support each other on issues involving each other's core interests and major concerns, continuously enhance the representation and voice of developing countries in international affairs, and make new contributions to building a China-Africa community of common destiny in the new era.

Adehill said that Africa-China cooperation has broad room for development. In November last year, President Xi Jinping announced the "Nine Projects" for Africa-Africa cooperation at the 8th Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, drawing a blueprint for the upgrading of Africa-China cooperation and the friendship between the African and Chinese peoples from generation to generation. "At present, the African continental free trade area is developing steadily, and it is expected that under the framework of jointly building the 'Belt and Road', Africa-China economic and trade exchanges will become more frequent, and the outcomes of the 8th Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation will continue to be implemented to benefit more African people."

"In recent years, we have joined hands with Chinese science and technology enterprises to introduce soil improvement technology for Morocco, combined with the income-generating poverty alleviation model of desert cash crop planting, and set up non-central brine agricultural demonstration farms in the Sahara Desert region inland of southeastern Moldana, bringing hope for poverty reduction and development to the people of the Sahara." Nasser Busheba, chairman of the Moroccan Association for African-China Cooperation and Development, said that China's achievements and experience in poverty reduction have provided an important reference for the people of African countries to get rid of poverty.

Osman stressed that in the process of realizing its own development, China has helped African countries to make progress together, and such help is not only reflected in the fields of economy and trade, humanities, infrastructure construction, etc., but also in the international arena such as the United Nations, China has also been speaking out for African countries. "China has always adhered to the principles of equality, mutual respect, non-interference in internal affairs, and assistance without attaching political conditions, laying a solid foundation for the vigorous development of Africa-China cooperation." Along the direction of building a closer Africa-China community of common destiny, African countries have made joint efforts with China to push Africa-China relations into a new stage. ”

"China has made important contributions to maintaining peace, stability and security in Africa." Adehill said that the successful convening of the Horn of Africa Peace Conference in Ethiopia this year demonstrates China's willingness and ability to contribute wisdom to African security governance, and provides a new platform for regional countries to resolve differences through negotiations, which is widely welcomed by regional countries. "I believe that with China's support, the African people will continue to work hard and live a more stable and peaceful life."

(Beijing, Cairo, Johannesburg, Khartoum, September 9, reporters Zhou Hui, Huang Peizhao, Shen Xiaoxiao, Zou Song, Yan Yunming, Su Hang)

People's Daily ( September 10, 2022, Edition 03)