Opinion
Toward a Stronger China-Africa Community
Yang Jiechi addresses China-Africa relations following his recent visits to Uganda
  ·  2019-12-30  ·   Source: NO.1 JANUARY 2, 2020
Chinese and Ugandan staff work in a Chinese mobile phone assembly plant in the Namanve Industrial Park in Uganda on November 22, 2019 (XINHUA)

Yang Jiechi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and former foreign minister, addresses China-Africa relations following his recent visits to Uganda, the Republic of the Congo and Senegal. This is an edited version of his interview with Xinhua News Agency from December 20, 2019

What are your expectations for developing China-Africa relations in the complex and fluid international landscape?

Yang Jiechi: This year (2019) marks the 70th anniversary of New China's diplomacy. Over the past 70 years, the unbreakable friendship between China and Africa has stood the test of time and international vicissitudes and has continued to flourish. Developing friendly ties and cooperation with African countries has been the consistent basic policy and firm strategic direction of China's diplomacy.

President Xi Jinping has given personal attention to this relationship. Since he took office, he has visited Africa four times and held meetings or talks with most African leaders. He has proposed the principles of sincerity, real results, amity and good faith and the pursuit of the greater good and shared interests in China's relations with Africa. This has pointed the way for and lent strong impetus to the advancement of friendship and cooperation between China and Africa.

The Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in 2018 was a great success and a historic milestone of solidarity and cooperation between China and Africa. Both sides agreed to build an even stronger China-Africa community with a shared future and chart the course for the further growth of China-Africa relations. Under the new circumstances, it is the shared aspirations of China and Africa to renew their traditional friendship and deepen friendly cooperation. Rain or shine, China will continue to stick together with Africa, shoulder to shoulder and hand in hand, to carry forward this friendship forged by the older generations of Chinese and African leaders.

With the official launch of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) [in 2018], Africa has come to a critical stage in its transformation and development. Now is a prime time for China and Africa to advance Belt and Road cooperation. To date, 44 African countries and the African Union (AU) Commission have signed Belt and Road cooperation documents with China. Steps have been taken to enhance synergy between China-Africa Belt and Road cooperation and the AU's Agenda 2063, the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and the development strategies of African countries. China will work with Africa for higher quality and efficiency of our practical cooperation, so that together we can deliver greater benefits to our two peoples and set a fine example of mutually beneficial cooperation between developing countries.

The world is undergoing profound changes unseen in a century. A large group of emerging markets and developing countries are growing rapidly. At the same time, unilateralism, protectionism and bullying are on the rise in international affairs, bringing more uncertainty and instability to the world.

As underlined in the Beijing Declaration—Toward an Even Stronger China-Africa Community With a Shared Future—issued at the FOCAC Beijing Summit, China, the world's largest developing country, and Africa, the continent with the largest number of developing countries, have supported and cooperated closely with each other in international affairs.

Under the new circumstances, enhanced strategic coordination between China and Africa serves the common interests of both sides and contributes more to upholding multilateralism and equity and justice. Both China and Africa firmly safeguard the international system underpinned by the UN, the international order anchored on international law, and the multilateral trading system centered on World Trade Organization rules.

No matter how the international situation may evolve, China will stand firm with Africa to jointly uphold the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries, safeguard multilateralism and international equity and justice, and contribute to the building of a new type of international relations and a community with a shared future for humanity.

What do you think of the situation in Africa?

The international community is paying closer attention to Africa as many countries expand cooperation with the continent.

My visits to African countries have impressed upon me that Africa is a land of promise that has come a long way in its development and shown enormous growth potential. With overall peace and stability, African countries are actively pursuing economic diversification and sustainable, home-grown development, and have maintained a strong momentum of growth.

The AfCFTA marked another major step forward in African integration. Africa is set to further unleash its growth potential. The continent is seeing its influence in international affairs rising and is receiving increasing international attention and investment. This trend means more alternatives for cooperation and much-needed capital and technology for Africa's growth. It will also help Africa improve its environment for development and realize industrialization and sustainable, home-grown development at an early date.

China's cooperation with Africa has been guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy. Such cooperation has followed the principle of sincerity, real results, amity and good faith, and the principle of pursuing the greater good and shared interests. It has followed an approach of no interference in African countries' internal affairs, no imposition of our will on African countries, no attachment of political strings to assistance, and no seeking of political interests in investment and financing cooperation with Africa. China has always supported African countries in their search for development paths suited to their national conditions.

We are actively involved in UN peacekeeping operations in Africa. We are ready to further enhance cooperation with Africa in peace and security. These consistent policies and practices have stood the test of time. They have won the trust of African governments and peoples and the recognition of the wider international community.

China has long held the view that cooperation with Africa must be based on respect for the desires and calls of African countries, and be conducted in an open, inclusive and win-win manner. China's cooperation with Africa does not target any third party. Some people who are unhappy about growing China-Africa relations have made groundless accusations to defame and attack our cooperation. Their irresponsible behavior has been refuted by both China and Africa and people with vision from the international community.

As Africa's good friend, partner and brother, China will continue to firmly support Africa's effort to seek strength through unity and the economic and social development of African countries. We will expand friendly and practical cooperation with African countries in all fields for win-win results. We have no doubt that an even brighter future is ahead for Africa. China will work closely with the rest of the international community to draw on each other's strength and create synergy to contribute together to Africa's peace and development.

The year 2020 will be the 20th anniversary of FOCAC. How will China take forward its relations with Africa in 2020?

Since the inception of FOCAC in October 2000, seven ministerial conferences and three summits have been held thanks to the concerted efforts of China and Africa. FOCAC has grown into a valuable platform for collective dialogue and an effective mechanism for practical cooperation.

In keeping with the desire of the two sides, China-Africa relations have been upgraded from a new type of partnership, to a new type of strategic partnership, and to a comprehensive strategic and cooperative partnership. During the Beijing Summit, President Xi and African leaders agreed to build an even stronger China-Africa community with a shared future, adding more substance to the comprehensive strategic and cooperative partnership between China and Africa.

China-Africa relations and the bilateral ties of China and African countries have been running at a high level. All FOCAC meetings have produced practical outcomes that furthered China-Africa cooperation. They have been duly implemented as China takes its commitments seriously. After years of development, FOCAC has seen its outcomes spreading across Africa and truly benefiting the African people.

Through FOCAC, China and Africa have made their own voices heard on major international and regional issues, adding to the voice of unity and cooperation among China, Africa and other developing countries. As the outcomes of FOCAC have had a positive impact, the international community has paid more attention to Africa and major countries in the world have increased their engagement in Africa. This has brought positive energy and new hope to an international landscape that is otherwise full of uncertainty.

The year 2020 will mark the 20th anniversary of FOCAC, and will be crucial in the full implementation of the follow-up actions of the Beijing Summit. It will also mark the 60th anniversary of China's diplomatic relations with Ghana and Mali, our traditional friends.

Taking the 20th anniversary of FOCAC as an opportunity, China will work closely with Senegal as co-chairs, and with other African countries, to maintain close high-level exchanges and deepen Belt and Road cooperation. We will advance the institution-building of FOCAC, explore new development approaches and cooperation models, and work together to ensure sound implementation of the Beijing Summit follow-up actions.

We will take our practical cooperation to a higher level and step up coordination and cooperation in international affairs. Together, we will build an even stronger China-Africa community with a shared future, and achieve mutual benefit and common development.

Copyedited by Sudeshna Sarkar

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