Africa -China Review Africa -China Cooperation and Transformation
Published: October 19,2023
By Gerald Mbanda
President Xi Jinping poses for a group photo with distinguished guests attending the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Oct 18, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]
Chinese President Xi Jinping speech to mark the 10thanniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative gives hope that when countries come together and do the “planning together, building together, and benefiting together,” with the aim of improving the standards of living for their people, nothing can be impossible to achieve. The spirit of shared aspiration and multilateral cooperation creates a platform for a common vision and therefore, a strong pillar for building sustainable global peace.
The BRI cooperation has attracted more than 150 countries from the Eurasian, Latin America and African continents. President Xi said that, “Belt and Road cooperation has progressed from “sketching the outline” to “filling in the details,” and blueprints havebeen turned into real projects.” The 10th anniversary of the BRI having been attended by representatives from over 140 countries, including Heads of State, more than 30 international organizations and more than 4,000 delegates is evidence that many countries around the world have realized the tangible benefits of cooperation with China on BRI, which is a multifaceted global development plan.
China having signed more than 3,000 cooperation projects worth an estimated $ 1 trillion is testimony that BRI has been embraced as a game changer in shared development cooperation. “As long as we remain steadfast in our commitment to cooperation and common development, we will accomplish new feats in high-quality Belt and Road cooperation that reflect the spirit of the times and will create a better future for humanity through our joint efforts,” Xi said.
BRI has strengthened South-South cooperation by encouraging developing countries to strive for self-reliance, enhance solidarity, support and help each other in a shared journey as equal partners. It is estimated that over the past decade, BRI has lifted 40 million people out of poverty globally. The BRI agricultural cooperation mechanism enabled impoverished populations in partner countries to fight food shortage and able to produce enough to feed their people.
Kenyan president William Ruto who attended BRI 10thanniversary in Beijing appreciated the cooperation with China for sustainable transformation. “Sustainable transformation proceeds from a robust infrastructural foundation and investments in railway, ports and roads by the Chinese government has helped Kenya achieve this.” Ruto further praised the Global Development Initiative (GDI) that is also a brain child of president Xi Jinping. “As we celebrate a decade of transformative partnership, which has united us in this historic development partnership founded on connectivity laid by the Belt and Road Initiative, and transitioning into the global development initiative, a flourishing alliance mobilized to deliver sustainable and transformative solutions to the most urgent infrastructure and development challenges of our time, GDI actualises the aspirations behind the intensive investment in connectivity, demonstrating the power of infrastructural capital to support rapid socioeconomic and industrial growth and to facilitate innovative, knowledge-based enterprise and governance, driven by information and communication technology, “theKenyan leader said.
It should be remembered that although the concept and philosophy behind BRI was introduced by president Xi Jinping who is also the Secretary General of the Communist Party of China (CPC), the Chinese leader found it of greater benefit to share the philosophy with the rest of the world, so that the benefits can impact the lives of the global community, rather than Chinese people alone. I have always pondered about the philosophy of the CPC of thinking beyond self and the resolve to move together with other nations in terms of overcoming global challenges, and find that the approach is in stark contrast with the western world that believes in dominating and exploiting other countries.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, developing countries found themselves isolated with no means to make their own life saving vaccine. China, despite having a big population that needed the vaccines, came to the rescue of BRI partner developing countries by sharing the vaccines, when the developed countries hoarded more vaccines than they needed. This was an act of saving humanity in danger for which developing countries will always be grateful to China. BRI has created a global family moving together with confidence to overcome challenges and provide peace, shared development and higher standard of living for humanity without discrimination.
Gerald Mbanda is a researcher and publisher on China-Africa Cooperation.
