China stands ‘shoulder to shoulder’ with Africa and supports its chosen development path: Wang Yi

Published: March 13,2024

Africa and China have fought “shoulder to shoulder” against imperialism and colonialism, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Thursday, as he pledged Beijing’s continued support for African development.

Wang said Africa should not be marginalised and urged “all sides” of the global community to support the continent with “real actions” and a respect for Africa’s own development approaches.

“African countries are experiencing a new awakening. Models imposed from outside have brought Africa neither stability nor prosperity,” he told the press during the annual “two sessions” of China’s top legislature and political advisory body in Beijing.

“African countries need to explore development paths suited to their national conditions and keep their future and destiny firmly in their own hands,” he said.

Wang also said that the multilateral Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) would return in the autumn as an “in-person” event. The triennial summit’s eighth installment in 2021 was moved online because of the pandemic.

China will support an Africa that is “truly independent in thinking and ideas” in a “new historical process”, Wang said, reiterating Beijing’s continued insistence on the continent’s freedom from external pressures.

It has long been Africa’s position that the global governance system disproportionately favours the West – a view shared by Beijing, which supported last year’s successful African bid for a seat at the G20.

“China always holds that Africa should not be marginalised. While China-Africa cooperation thrives, other major countries have again turned their eyes to Africa – China welcomes that,” Wang said.

South China Morning Post