China-Africa relations are constantly reaching a new level

Source: People's Network

China and Africa are good friends, good partners and good brothers who are in the same boat through thick and thin. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the true and sincere policy concept on Africa and the correct concept of righteousness and interests. Over the past 10 years, China and Africa have embarked on a path of win-win cooperation with distinctive characteristics, and China-Africa relations have continuously reached a new level and entered a new stage of jointly building a high-level China-Africa community with a shared future. China and Africa are answering historical questions by jointly exploring the vivid practice of modernization and joining hands to promote the great historical cause of win-win cooperation, harmony and coexistence, and common prosperity of civilization.

From August 29 to 30, the China-Africa Cooperation and Development Seminar hosted by the China International Development Knowledge Center was held in Beijing. Focusing on topics such as "The Belt and Road Initiative and China-Africa Development Cooperation", "Industrialization, Urbanization and Inclusive Development", and "South-South Cooperation and Common Sustainable Development", high-level representatives, envoys in China and representatives of Chinese domestic institutions from 27 African countries attended the meeting.

"Africa-China cooperative relations are based on sincere friendship and mutual benefit"

Over the past 10 years, under the strategic guidance of Chinese and African leaders, China-Africa cooperation has continuously developed in an all-round, multi-level and high-quality manner, playing an important role in promoting African countries to shake off poverty and backwardness, develop their economies and improve people's livelihood. At the seminar, many participants mentioned that how to solve the development deficit, solve the security dilemma and strengthen mutual learning between civilizations is a common issue of the times faced by Africa and China, and African countries and China should further strengthen friendly cooperation and work together to create a better future.

Bajkako, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Development Cooperation of Burundi, said that the world is going through difficult times, and we need collective action today more than ever, and strengthening the solidarity and cooperation between African countries and China will make us an unshakable force to better cope with global challenges.

Gohari, information technology adviser to the Egyptian Prime Minister and director of the Cabinet Information and Decision Support Center, said that China has been Africa's largest trading partner for 14 consecutive years, and the trade volume of goods between Africa and China reached US$282 billion in 2022. "Africa-China cooperation is based on sincere friendship and mutual benefit, and we are eager to further deepen cooperation with Chinese partners, promote Egypt's economic development, and enable people to live a better life."

"A week ago, a reporter asked me, what is the most important Africa-China cooperation project in Africa? I told him that there are so many Chinese projects in Africa that it is difficult to single out which one is the most important, and all of them are crucial to promoting the development of African countries. Correa, executive director of the Geneva-based South Center, said Africa-China cooperation in areas such as infrastructure construction, technology transfer and investment has significantly promoted Africa's development.

Bitje, Executive Secretary of the African Union African Capacity Building Foundation, said that since Africa gained independence from colonial rule, it has been striving to achieve political, economic and social development, and China has given great support to Africa in this process. Today, China has become an important trading partner and a major source of investment for most African countries. "Under the framework of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, Africa and China will strengthen knowledge sharing and technology transfer, carry out mutually beneficial cooperation, and promote economic and social development." Bitje said.

"I am very happy to see that Africa-China friendship has been renewed and developing for a long time." Balamoto, Chargé d'affaires a.i. of the Embassy of the Central African Republic in China, said that Africa and China are now working together to accelerate the implementation of the "Nine Projects" of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, and African countries appreciate China's commitment as a major country and are full of expectations for the future of Africa-China cooperation.

"The development results of Africa-China pragmatic cooperation benefit the people of both sides"

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative. Over the past 10 years, China has signed cooperation documents on the Belt and Road with 52 African countries and the African Union Commission. Adhering to the principle of consultation, co-construction and sharing, China and Africa have continuously deepened pragmatic cooperation in economic and trade exchanges, infrastructure development and people-to-people exchanges, continuously expanding the scale of cooperation and diversifying the fields of cooperation, and a large number of infrastructure and social livelihood projects have been completed one after another.

In 2022, Malawi joined the circle of friends for the joint construction of the "Belt and Road", adding new impetus to the development of China-Malaysia relations and pragmatic cooperation. "The Belt and Road Initiative is very important to us and will help accelerate the mainland's economic development." Chinsinga, former Minister of Local Government of Malawi and Director of the Institute of Public Opinion, said, "The goals of Africa-China cooperation are consistent with the development goals of the African continent, and the joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative has added new impetus and created new opportunities for the development of the African continent, and the development results of Africa-China practical cooperation have benefited the people of both sides." ”

The opening of the new terminal of Mugabe International Airport and the delivery of the Harare National Drug Warehouse project..."These projects with the participation of Chinese enterprises in Zimbabwe will help us promote industrialization, promote economic development, help Zimbabwe better integrate into the world economic system, and promote the implementation of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development." Zimbabwe's ambassador to China Che Dongdo said that Africa-China cooperation transcends ideological barriers and has a bright future.

In Kenya, the Mongolia-Nairo Railway, a landmark project of the Belt and Road Initiative between China and Africa, has been hailed as the "dream of the century". "Through development assistance, financing support and technology transfer, China helps Kenya promote sustainable development and improve people's livelihood." Wesley, chief economist of Kenya's Ministry of Finance and Planning, said that over the years, Kenya's development in many fields, from politics and economy to society and culture, has benefited from Africa-China cooperation, and the Mongolia-Nairobi Railway is a vivid representative of this cooperation to promote Kenya's economic and social development.

In June this year, Ghana's first Luban workshop, the China-Canada Agriculture Luban Workshop, was inaugurated in the country's capital, Accra. Bompong, president of the University of Cape Coast in Ghana, quoted the Chinese proverb "It is better to teach people to fish than to teach people to fish", saying that Ghana and China have deepened exchanges and cooperation in higher education and vocational education. The Belt and Road Initiative has brought cooperation between Canada and China in infrastructure construction, investment, trade, education and healthcare to a new level, created a large number of local employment opportunities, cultivated scientific research and technical talents, and helped build a high-level Africa-China community with a shared future.

"Industrialization and agricultural modernization in Africa"

A few days ago, China issued three measures: "Initiative to Support Africa's Industrialization", "China's Plan for Assisting Africa's Agricultural Modernization" and "China-Africa Cooperation Plan for Talent Training" to support Africa's integration and modernization. As developing countries, China and Africa joining hands to promote modernization will surely create a better future for the people of both sides and set an example for promoting the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

Ali Isa Abdi, director of the Institute for Economic and Social Policy in the Horn of Africa, believes that Africa can learn from China's development achievements, "China's elimination of absolute poverty has greatly unleashed agricultural productivity, and its practice is very worthy of our learning." He said that agriculture has always been a key area of Africa-China cooperation, and China's technical support and popularization of professional knowledge to African countries will help Africa ensure food security and promote sustainable agricultural development.

Kahinde, president of the Federal University of Agriculture in Abeokuta, said that Nigeria is a big agricultural country, but it lacks professional talents and modern agricultural technology. Over the years, agricultural technologists from China have been rooted in Nigeria, nurturing crops, disseminating technology and training personnel, continuing to help ensure food security and modernize agriculture in Nigeria.

Data show that China has established production capacity cooperation mechanisms with 15 African countries and built more than 20 industrial parks with African countries. Sevanana, executive director of the Uganda Economic Policy Research Centre, said that cooperation between Uganda and China will help Ukraine achieve its development goals. The industrial park jointly built by Ukraine and China has created local jobs and promoted local economic and social development. In addition, China has cooperated with Uganda in the fields of agriculture and mining, helped Uganda introduce advanced agricultural irrigation technology and improved mineral mining and processing capacity.

Kasa, director of the Research and Advisory Service Bureau of the African Institute of Leadership Excellence, an Ethiopian think tank, said that China has always been committed to safeguarding multilateralism and firmly supports other developing countries in exploring development paths that suit their national conditions. China actively calls on the international community to provide assistance on the basis of respect and trust for African countries and firmly supports Africa in playing a greater role in global governance and international affairs. "The deepening of Africa-China cooperation will help promote Africa's industrialization and agricultural modernization."

"China is a good friend of African countries and plays an important role in helping African countries achieve their development goals." Egypt's ambassador to China Hanaifi said that China's development achievements have greatly encouraged other developing countries. Over the years, Africa-China cooperation has made great progress. Egypt has been actively participating in various Africa-China cooperation mechanisms, "We appreciate China's efforts to promote industrialization and agricultural modernization in Africa, and look forward to continuing to strengthen cooperation with China to bring more new opportunities for Africa's development." ”

People's Daily (Version 11, 26 September 2023)

Source: People's Daily - People's Daily