Building an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era

WU PENG

Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Co-operation (Focac) was successfully held from September 4 to 6.

Under the theme of “Joining Hands to Advance Modernisation and Build a High-Level China-Africa Community with a Shared Future”, China and Africa took stock of the journey of their friendship, commended the progress made in implementing the outcomes of Focac, and reached a clear political consensus on strengthening co-operation across the board.

Two important documents, the Beijing Declaration and the Action Plan, were adopted unanimously. The two sides agreed to further implement the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilisation Initiative.

The Summit witnessed fruitful outcomes and multiple highlights in the following three aspects.

First, the Summit defines a new positioning for China-Africa relations.

Thanks to nearly 70 years of concerted efforts, the China-Africa relationship is now at its best in history. During the Summit, China forged or elevated strategic partnership with 30 countries.

Now China has established strategic partnership with all African countries having diplomatic ties with China.

Chinese and African leaders have agreed unanimously to elevate the China-Africa relations to an all-weather community with a shared future for the new era. 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 greater substance.

This progress demonstrates the 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.

Second, the Summit gives new meaning to China and Africa’s modernisation. At the China-Africa Think Tanks Forum held in March this year, Chinese and African scholars jointly issued the China-Africa Dar es Salaam Consensus.

The Consensus represents common understanding of the Global South on the concept of modernisation, and breaks the myth that modernisation equals Westernisation. During the summit, President Xi Jinping articulated a six-point proposition on China-Africa joint efforts to advance modernisation: China and Africa should advance modernisation that is just and equitable, that is open and win-win, that puts the people first, that features diversity and inclusiveness, that is eco friendly, and that is underpinned by peace and security.

This proposition is widely accepted by African leaders, and has become a political consensus between China and Africa. It will have a significant and far-reaching impact on spearheading faster modernisation of the Global South and advancing global modernisation.

Third, the Summit provides new momentum to China-Africa co-operation. At the opening ceremony of the Summit, President Xi Jinping announced 10 partnership actions that China would take with Africa to advance modernisation, and put forward a series of concrete initiatives and quantitative targets, injecting strong impetus into China-Africa and South-South co-operation.

For example, in the area of connectivity, China, Tanzania and Zambia signed a memorandum of understanding during the Summit, agreeing to revitalise the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (Tazara) railway, and help put in place a China-Africa network featuring land-sea links and co-ordinated development. In the area of green development, China is ready to launch 30 clean energy projects in Africa, and establish with Africa 30 joint laboratories. In the area of development cooperation, China will implement 1000 “small and beautiful” livelihood projects, to deliver more fruits of development to the two peoples.

In the area of trade and prosperity, China will unilaterally open its market wider, and give 33 LDCs in Africa zero-tariff treatment for 100 percent tariff lines. In the area of financing, the Chinese government will provide RMB360 billion yuan (about R905 billion) of financial support, and encourage and support Africa in issuing panda bonds in China.

During the Summit, four high-level meetings were held for the first time.

At the high-level meeting on state governance, all parties spoke highly of the third plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC). They believed that China and African countries should enhance mutual learning and explore development paths in line with their own national conditions.

At the high-level meeting on industrialisation and agricultural modernisation, participants discussed how China and Africa should leverage their complementary advantages to speed up joint progress and green development.

At the high-level meeting on peace and security, participants shared their insights on achieving regional and global peace and stability.

Discussions at the high-level meeting on high-quality Belt and Road co-operation gave new impetus to China and Africa’s joint efforts in strengthening physical, institutional and people-to-people connectivity.

President Cyril Ramaphosa paid a state visit to China prior to the Summit upon invitation. He and President Xi Jinping announced the elevation of the China-South Africa relationship to an all-round strategic co-operative partnership in the new era.

The two heads of state jointly witnessed the signing of bilateral co-operation documents on the application of Beidou navigation satellite system, sustainable housing and human settlements development, bilateral trade, market access for agricultural products, and cultural heritage.

President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered a speech at the opening ceremony of the Summit and co-chaired the high-level meeting on industrialisation and agricultural modernisation, making an important contribution to the success of the Summit.

The Summit sends a strong message of China and Africa seeking common development, demonstrates the firm determination of the Global South working together in solidarity, and sets the Global South as a stellar example in jointly building a community with a shared future for mankind.

The Chinese people will work hand in hand with the peoples of Africa, including South Africa, on our shared path toward modernisation. Let us join hands to bring about a bright future of peace, security, prosperity and progress for our world.

* Wu is the Chinese Ambassador to South Africa

Cape Times