Africa -China Review Africa -China Cooperation and Transformation
Published: July 21,2023
By Staff writer
On Wednesday, 19th July, The Chinese ambassador to Rwanda H.E Wang Xuekun presided over a one day virtual seminar on poverty alleviation convened by Africa-China Review publication. The seminar brought together experts from China, Africa and Kirgizstan. Below is the full speech by Ambassador Wang during the event.
Good morning, dear friends,
Welcome to this seminar on poverty alleviation focusing on China’s experience. I would like to thank you for your interest. Hon. Zeno Mutimura, former senator and Rwandan Ambassador to China, your presence here today adds significance to our event! I would also like to thank you, Mr. Mbanda, for bringing us together.
To eradicate poverty is the common aspiration of mankind. The 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda puts the poverty reduction as the No. 1 priority. The thousands of years history of China is also a history to combat poverty, especially since the 19th century when China fell behind the major countries in the world due to the corrupted governance and foreign invasion. People suffered heavily.
The founding of the Communist Party of China brings hope to the whole nation. Since its founding, putting the people at the center has been its guiding ideology. After it historically founded the People’s Republic of China and ended the foreign invasion, it launched the campaign against poverty.
Over the past four decades, a total of 850 million Chinese people were listed out of poverty. In 2021, we solemnly proclaimed that China finished the task of eradicating absolute poverty. This has never been seen in China’s history. In this process, China’s economy leapfrogged to 18 trillion US dollars, became the largest trading partner with over 140 economies, established the largest educational, health, social security system in the world. It narrows the gap among people, creates a more equal society and leaves no one behind.
Dear friends,
China’s success to end poverty not only belongs to China. Our experts and scholars with us today will tap into the China’s practices and experience in this aspect. I will focus on what does it mean to the world and Africa.
China’s success brings more economic opportunities to Africa. A larger Chinese economy provides more market to the continent. Trade between us is booming despite the global headwind. For Rwanda, China exempts the tariff of 98% Rwanda products. Rwandan coffee and chili is more than popular in China. China’s experience to grow mushroom is shared with Rwandans to improve people’s livelihood. More Chinese people visit this country. More investment from China pour into Rwanda, making China the largest source of FDI. China exempted debt for Rwanda worth more than 50 million YUAN in order to relive its debt burden. Not long ago, China contributed 500 thousand US dollars to help Rwanda to tackle the floods.
China’s success provides more public good for Africa. In 2021, President XI Jinping put forward the Global Development Initiative, aiming to revitalize the global development agenda and mobilizes resources for developing countries. Tangible benefit were reaped. 32 concrete measures were proposed to implement the GDI. More than one hundred of projects are designed to help with the social-economic development of the global south, covering important areas like poverty alleviation, food security, information technology, green development. China welcomes more countries to join the GDI and is ready to work with Africa to explore more development opportunities so as to build a better world.
China’s success inspires those countries who wants to accelerate development. It creates a new model for human progress and provides new options for developing countries to draw from to achieve independent development. It dispels the myths that only westernization could lead to success. China and Africa can work together to prove to the world, that we can not only won the victory against colonialism and foreign invasion, but also win the battle against poverty and backward development. We can stand on our own feet and let our people make a better life.
Dear friends,
For the past more than 100 years, China has been struggling to achieve modernization. Now, under the leadership of CPC, China is on a new path to modernization with Chinese characteristics. The national rejuvenation is in an irreversible trend. China’s endeavor to modernization is not a solo played only by itself, but a symphony enjoyed by all. It will unleash even more and huge opportunities for Africa. I would also like to encourage you to use every chance to promote more China-Africa’s cooperation, to proliferate our friendship and to build a closer China-Africa community with shared future.
Thank you!
