Advancing with the times and seeking common development to build a China-Africa community

• Published date: 02 December 2021
• Publication title: Mercury

Four outcome documents were adopted, including the Declaration of the Eighth Ministerial Conference of Focac.

Following the Focac Johannesburg Summit in 2015, the Beijing Summit in 2018 and the Extraordinary China-Africa Summit on Solidarity Against Covid-19, Focac 2021 is another major diplomatic event for Chinese and African leaders to meet and plan for the future development of China-Africa relations.

In his keynote speech, President Xi spoke highly of the unbreakable fraternal friendship between China and Africa over the past 65 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations.

He summed up the spirit of China-Africa friendship and co-operation forged between the two sides, which features sincere friendship and equality, mutual benefit and common development, fairness and justice, and progress with the times and openness and inclusiveness.

He elaborated on the fundamental reasons for the close relationship and deep bond of friendship between China and Africa.

President Xi announced a series of new major steps for co-operation with Africa, put forward four proposals for fighting Covid-19 with solidarity, deepening practical co-operation, promoting green development, and upholding equity and justice.

President Xi said China would work closely with African countries to implement nine programmes, namely the medical and health programme, the poverty reduction and agricultural development programme, the trade promotion programme, the investment promotion programme, the digital innovation programme, the green development programme, the capacity-building programme, the cultural and people-to-people exchange programme, and the peace and security programme.

These proposals have been highly appreciated and positively responded to by African leaders, charting the course for China-Africa co-operation in the new era.

President Ramaphosa spoke highly of the important role of Focac in promoting the respective development of China and Africa as well as deepening South-South co-operation. He emphasised that the forum has been an engine of progress, and stands as a beacon of hope in these times.

Africa looks forward to deepening mutually beneficial co-operation with China under the framework of Focac to jointly overcome challenges such as the Covid-19 epidemic, poverty and inequality, and achieve common prosperity for all countries.

Since 2000, Focac has grown into an important platform for collective dialogue and an effective mechanism for practical co-operation...