By He Yin, Chinese President Xi Jinping recently attended the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Beijing and delivered a keynote speech.
He proposed that bilateral relations between China and all African countries having diplomatic ties with China be elevated to the level of strategic relations, and that the overall characterization of China-Africa relations be elevated to an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era.
Establishing strategic partnerships with all the 53 African countries having diplomatic ties with China and elevating the overall characterization of China-Africa relations to an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era are important outcomes achieved by the summit.
It will rally the more than 2.8 billion Chinese and African people into a powerful force that drives the two sides’ modernization.
The solid bilateral relations between China and all African countries having diplomatic ties with China are the foundation for China-Africa friendship.
Before the summit, China has established partnerships with more than 20 African countries in different forms. During the summit, Xi held bilateral meetings with African heads of state and government leaders, engaging in in-depth discussions on major strategic issues. China forged or elevated strategic partnership with 30 countries.
African leaders gave high evaluation on China. Some said China is “a great example of a partner that gives you a hand, so you can achieve your own dreams.” Some said China represents hope and the future, and that only by deepening cooperation with China can an African country achieve national development. Some said for Africa, China represents the future and is a brother.
This proves that China and its 53 African strategic partners, standing shoulder to shoulder, will play a greater role in improving the well-being of the Chinese and African people, and safeguarding world peace and stability.
The friendship between China and Africa transcends time and space, surmounts mountains and oceans, and passes down through generations. Thanks to nearly 70 years of tireless efforts from both sides, the China-Africa relationship is now at its best in history.
Over the past 24 years since the inception of the FOCAC, especially in the new era, China has advanced forward hand in hand with its African brothers and sisters in the spirit of sincerity, real results, amity and good faith.
The two sides stand shoulder to shoulder with each other to firmly defend their legitimate rights and interests as once-in-a-century changes sweep across the world. They get stronger and more resilient together by riding the tide of economic globalization, delivering tangible benefits to billions of ordinary Chinese and Africans. They share weal and woe in fighting natural disasters and epidemics together, creating touching stories of China-Africa friendship. They always empathize with and support each other, setting a stellar example of a new type of international relations.
From a new type of partnership to a comprehensive strategic and cooperative partnership, and to an all-weather community with a shared future for the new era, the China-Africa relationship has kept reaching new heights, with clearer characterization and greater substance. This progress demonstrates the firm resolve of the over 2.8 billion Chinese and African people to share weal and woe and march forward hand in hand amid once-in-a-century transformation of the world.
The world today is living through accelerating changes unseen in a century, which confronts humanity with unprecedented challenges. The more complex the international situation becomes, the more the Global South countries must uphold independence, strengthen unity and cooperation, and jointly safeguard international fairness and justice.
During the summit, China and Africa compared notes on strategies regarding international situation and global governance.
The two sides agreed to firmly support each other on issues bearing on each other’s core interests, defend the common interests of developing countries, and promote international fairness and justice.
The two sides agreed to jointly practice true multilateralism, implement the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative, advocate an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally-beneficial and inclusive economic globalization.
The two sides agreed to break “small yard with high fences,” reject discrimination and bias, correct historical injustice, and bring the benefit of modernization to all people.
The unanimous voice for peace and development made by Chinese and African leaders has become another milestone of China-Africa relations and another example of Global South cooperation.
The voice of justice made by China and Africa for the Global South, and their efforts to make global governance more just and equitable are conducive to safeguarding the common interests of developing countries and will inject more stability and positive energy into the world.
The China-Africa community with a shared future is deeply rooted in their traditional friendship, thrives on the strength of win-win cooperation, and grows in step with the times. Facing the future, China and Africa will always uphold the everlasting spirit of China-Africa friendship and cooperation, walk hand in hand on the path to modernization, jointly build an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era, and make greater contributions to building a community with a shared future for mankind.
