China-Africa relationship has kept deepening and developing- according to the Chinese president 

Published: February 20,2024

By Staff writer 

African Heads of State and government convened for the 37th African Union (AU) Summit in the Ethiopian capital- Addis Ababa on February 17 to 18. The Chinese president Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory message to the African leaders in which he   stressed that in the past year, the China-Africa relationship has kept deepening and developing.

Xi also noted the China-Africa Leaders’ Dialogue was successfully held and both sides have decided to support each other in their respective pursuit of modernization paths to jointly create a good environment for realizing the vision of development.The Chinese president reaffirmed his country’s commitment to working with African countries  

He said that he stands ready to work with the leaders of African countries, with a focus on the benefits of peoples from both sides, to draw up a new blueprint for China-Africa cooperation and promote the joint building of a high-level China-Africa community with a shared future.

Over the years, China-Africa cooperation has been growing in different sectors aimed at improving the wellbeing of the peoples on both sides. China’s foreign policy is hinged on win-win cooperation and this has resulted in a lot of benefits for Africa especially in the areas of infrastructure development, industrialization, education, agriculture and technological innovations. 

The win-win approach is in line with the traditional Chinese philosophy, “Do not do to others what you do not want others to do to you.” It also corresponds to the fundamental interests of African countries and the basic norms of international relations. It is a hallmark of China-Africa solidarity and cooperation and can serve as a useful reference for international cooperation with Africa.

China-Africa cooperation works partnership of equals with no pre-conditions. Xi believes that China-Africa cooperation can be an exemplary model for world development and cooperation.  “When China and Africa are fully developed, the world will be a better place. Cooperation in the new era is the sure way for China and Africa to realize common development. It will lay more solid foundations for building an even stronger China-Africa community of shared future, and build up strong momentum for the rise of developing countries as a whole, and for more balanced international relation,” the Chinese leaders say. 

China has remained Africa’s largest trading partner for 15 consecutive years, with bilateral trade reaching a record 282.1 billion U.S. dollars in 2023, according to China’s a Ministry of Commerce statistics. The Forum for China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) has played a significant role as a platform for sharing ideas on the cooperation between the two sides as well as evaluating the achievements. The ninth Forum of FOCAC is expected to take place towards the end of this this year and expected to be held in Beijing. The Forum will take China-Africa Cooperation to a new and higher level for the benefit of both the people of China and Africa. 

2024 marks the ninth Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) gathering. It will likely take place in Beijing towards the end of the year. 

The new session of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation is going to be held in 2024, Xi noted.

Xi sends congratulatory message to 37th African Union Summit

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday sent a congratulatory message to the opening of the 37th African Union (AU) Summit, which is being held in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa from February 17 to 18.

Xi pointed out that the world today is undergoing profound changes unseen in a century, and the Global South, represented by China and Africa, is booming, which has a profound impact on the course of world history.

The AU brings African countries together to seek strength through unity and promote integration as well as the building of free trade areas, Xi said.

The AU’s successful accession to the G20 has further enhanced Africa’s representation and lifted its voice in global governance, and China extends heartfelt congratulations on that, he added.

The new session of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation is going to be held in 2024, Xi noted.