Africa-Press – Eritrea. Coincidentally, China-Africa diplomatic relations and the African Union (AU) are now 20 years old. It has been two decades of a great development partnership that has been of mutual benefit between the two partners. On September 9 China’s President Xi Jinping and the rotating chairperson of the AU, Senegalese President Macky Sall on September 9 exchanged congratulatory messages as a way of marking this auspicious event.
As President Xi pointed out, the AU has led African countries in forging ahead on the path of seeking strength through unity, development, revitalisation and integration, and demonstrated Africa’s strength in fighting Covid-19, upholding multilateralism and safeguarding the common interests of developing countries.
He stressed the fact that China and Africa have always been good friends, good partners and good brothers sharing weal and woe. “China-AU relations have stood the test of changing international landscape, and bilateral cooperation has expanded in depth and breadth, playing an important leading role in carrying forward the traditional friendship between China and Africa and strengthening solidarity and cooperation in the new era,” Xi noted.
Over the past 20 years, FOCAC has come a long way in strengthening China-Africa solidarity and friendship. It has grown into a big family where all are equal members bound by brotherly ties and treat each other with respect, regardless of size or strength. The partners have carried forward the profound friendship forged in their struggles for national liberation.
China and Africa have firmly supported each other on issues concerning core interests and major concerns. We have stood together in upholding the banner of multilateralism, fairness and justice. Together, we have elevated the international standing and influence of developing countries and safeguarded the overall interests of the developing world.
In order to carry forward the spirit of China-Africa friendship and cooperation, the two partners should fully implement the outcomes of the Eighth Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) and firmly support each other on issues concerning each other’s core interests and major concerns. FOCAC has grown into an important and dynamic platform for China and Africa to carry out collective dialogues as well as an effective mechanism for practical cooperation, and represents an important flag for South-South cooperation.
Part of increasing the representation and say of developing countries in international affairs includes making new contributions to the building of a China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era. China and Africa have all along adhered to the principle of putting people first and committed themselves to the high-level quality development of the China-Africa comprehensive strategic and cooperative partnership.
China-Africa relations have grown by leaps and bounds under the guidance of this forum, with deepening political mutual trust, expanding practical cooperation in all areas, and closer people-to-people and cultural exchanges. The tangible results of the forum have been highly recognized by African countries and widely praised by the international community.
China is the world’s largest developing country. Africa is the continent with the largest number of developing countries. While the past two decades have been extraordinary for FOCAC, they have also seen the Chinese people striving for national rejuvenation and African countries pursuing strength through unity. In this great historical journey, China and Africa have always been there for each other. We have shown the world that with hard work, countries that are still in the process of development can build a better life for their people; and with self-reliance and exploration, China and African countries can find their own path toward prosperity that suits our national conditions.
The world needs true multilateralism. Peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy and freedom are the common values of all mankind and the common goals that both China and Africa are striving for. The two advocate a development path that suits their national conditions, are committed to safeguarding the rights and interests of developing countries, and both oppose interference in internal affairs, racial discrimination and unilateral sanctions.
We live in a new, momentous era. We are standing at the threshold of a new chapter to be added to history. No matter how the world may change and no matter what challenges may come up ahead, cooperation between China and Africa will never stop, and the efforts to build a better and stronger FOCAC will never stop. The two should stand up to challenges, strive for high quality cooperation outcomes and open up a far brighter future for China-Africa relations.
The writer is the Executive Director of South-South Dialogues and a PhD student in International Relations at USIU-Kenya
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