Africa -China Review Africa -China Cooperation and Transformation
By Staff writer
Chinese President Xi Jinping delivers a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the Eighth Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) via video link in Beijing, capital of China, Nov. 29, 2021. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen)
The 8th Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) has been held in Senegalese capital of Dakar, and it is difficult for the attention to wander beyond the key note address by China’s President Xi Jinping, so packed was it with the practical expressions of the relationship.
The Chinese head of state addressed the ministerial conference, via video link, to the assembled ministers from across the continent, and their Chinese counterparts.
As in earlier meetings, guests included hundreds of representatives from the private, and development sectors.
What they heard from the Chinese leader, is arguably, of the most far reaching partnership for development, which Africa has had at any time.
The theme of the conference, “Deepen China-Africa Partnership and Promote Sustainable Development to Build a China-Africa Community, with a shared future, in the New Era,” promised much. After hearing President Xi’s address, the assembled delegates will have been left in no doubt that for China at least, these were not just words, but a plan for action.
The 8th FOCAC falls on the 65th anniversary of the start of diplomatic relations, between Africa and China. The Chinese leader begun by reminding his audience, the things that created the bonds between Africa and China, which included a fight against colonialism, and imperialism.
Africa and China have a close relationship and a deep bond of friendship, he said, because of “an everlasting spirit of China-Africa friendship and cooperation forged between the two sides, which features sincere friendship and equity, win-win, for mutual benefit, and common development, fairness and justice and progress with the times, and openness and inclusiveness…”
Having laid out the foundation, the principles on which the relationship is based, he turned to practicalities.
“A journey of a thousand miles, begins with a single step” he said, reclaiming a much used Chinese proverb, “As we stand at the historic starting point of building a China-Africa community, with a shared future in a new era, I wish to make the following four proposals:”
No responsible leader now makes any major speech, without addressing the pandemic, its effect on the world economy, and how to combat it. And President Xi’s began his proposals, by addressing Covid-19.
Geopolitics has meant that we see nothing about China’s extraordinary success, in containing Covid-19. And President Xi hinted at one of the major pillars of that success.
“We need to put people and their lives first, and be guided by science, supporting waiving intellectual property rights on Covid-19 vaccines, and truly ensure the accessibility and affordability of vaccines in Africa, to bridge the immunisation gap…”
He pledged China to work with Africa, supporting the African Union’s Agenda 2063, including initiatives to help Africans to drive the digital economy.
Fingers pointed at China, has been a feature of any discussion about climate change, in the mainstream media. It was notable however, that one of President Xi’s four proposals, was China’s cooperation with African countries, in sustainable development.
“In the face of climate change, which is a major challenge to humanity, we need to advocate green and low carbon development, actively promote solar, and other sources of renewable energy, work for effective implementation of the Paris Agreement on climate change, and keep strengthening our capacity for sustainable development.”
To the four proposals, which touched on economy, politics, including multilateralism, fighting racism, and non-interference, he moved on to nine projects, which, if fulfilled as intended, promise to be transformative, especially for African nations.
Here too, Covid-19 claimed the focus of attention. President Xi, committed China to significant support for Africa in the fight against the pandemic.
“To help the AU achieve its goal of vaccinating 60% of the population by 2022, I announce that China will provide another 1billion doses of vaccines to Africa, including 600 million doses as donation and 400 million doses to be provided through such means as joint production by Chinese companies and relevant African companies…”
The projects range from the purely developmental, transferring expertise from China to Africa, capacity building through training of Africans by Chinese personnel, to peace and security.
There will be specific announcements as the conference ends, but it is unlikely that any of them will be as eye catching, as President Xi’s proposals to make what he calls the China-Africa community, a concrete reality.
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