A New Era in China-Africa Friendly Cooperation: New Achievements, New Opportunities, New Vision
Li Xinfeng Wu Chuanhua Zhang Chunyu
Abstract
China is the world's largest developing country and second largest economy. Africa is the continent with the most developing countries and one of the fastest growing and most promising regions in the world. Although China and Africa are far apart geographically, friendship between the two regions traces its origins back to ancient times. Having gone through thick and thin together, China and Africa have always been a community with a shared future. Shared historical experiences and struggles have formed a profound friendship between the Chinese and African people. This friendship has in turn become a valuable asset that has been passed down to the present day.
Since the 18th National Party Congress, China-Africa relations have developed smoothly on the basis of long-standing friendship, and cooperation in various fields has reached an unprecedented historical level. High level China-Africa exchanges have been frequent, exchanges of experience in governance have continued to increase, cooperation in international affairs has been continuously strengthened, the number of China's friends in Africa has continued to grow, mutual political trust between China and Africa has continued to increase, and the political foundation of China-Africa relations has been steadily consolidated. China-African economic and trade cooperation has continued to maintain strong growth. Cooperation in trade, investment, and contracted projects has continued to reach new levels, injecting a fresh energy into the development of China-Africa relations. At the same time, China's development assistance to Africa has become increasingly effective, and China-Africa cooperation continues to lead the international community in work with Africa. China-Africa cultural exchanges and cooperation have been continuously expanded. Exchanges and cooperation in culture, education, health care, news media, non-governmental and local activities, youth and women, and think tanks have yielded fruitful results, solidifying the foundation of social and public opinion for the development of China-Africa relations. China-Africa peace and security cooperation has deepened. China, as a responsible great power, has made important contributions to maintaining peace and security in Africa. The great achievements of China-Africa friendship and cooperation in the new era fully conform to the fundamental interests of the 2.6 billion people across China and the African continent, and fully conform to the historical trend of world peace, stability, development and prosperity.
The entry of socialism with Chinese characteristics into the new era will have a major impact on the world and bring new historical opportunities for African development and for friendly China-Africa cooperation. At the global level, the general trend of economic globalization is irreversible, world economic recovery and development is going well, and the international community is paying increasing attention to Africa. These factors provide a favorable international environment for China-Africa friendly cooperation. From China's perspective, our country, which is entering a new era, will continue to expand and deepen its open policies, to focus on promoting industrial transformation and upgrading, to vigorously develop a digital economy, to lead in establishing new international financial institutions and innovative financing models, to actively promote international trilateral cooperation, and to promote the internalization of the Chinese Yuan. By so doing, China will bring new opportunities and new impetus to China-Africa friendly cooperation. From the perspective of Africa, the political, economic and security situation in Africa has generally improved in recent years, and the development outlook is promising, which provides good conditions for more practical and higher-level pragmatic cooperation between China and Africa. Meanwhile, we must see that China-Africa cooperation will not be smooth; it still faces many problems and challenges. It is precisely because of this that China and Africa must stick to the concept of “genuine, sincere, friendly and honest” cooperation and the principle of equality and mutual benefit, aiming to work together to build a community of a shared future for both China-Africa and for mankind, comprehensively strengthening and deepening cooperation, meeting challenges together, and achieving shared development.
Looking ahead, China will need Africa more, and Africa will need China more. Based on their respective situations and common development goals, China and Africa particularly need to strengthen three types of cooperation: first, linking the Belt and Road Initiative and the African Union Agenda 2063 will help achieve long-term planning for the development of Africa and the overall prosperity of the African continent. Second, linking international cooperation on production capacity and the strategy of industrialization in Africa will help Africa achieve industrialization as soon as possible. Industrialization is the only way to achieve modernization. Third, the application of China's experience in poverty alleviation through poverty reduction programs in Africa will help the African continent eliminate poverty at an early date and achieve the goal of a better life for the African people. At the same time, through the above three aspects of joint cooperation, further enhancement of China-Africa friendly cooperation in the new era will be reached. This, in turn, will be of great significance for China incomprehensively deepening reform, expanding the opening up, achieving two centenary goals, building a moderately prosperous society in every sphere, and building a modernized socialist country in every sphere, and so achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
In sum, both sides will need to adhere to the principles of peace, development, and win-win cooperation, to further strengthen the comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation, to reinforce complementary advantages, and to meet challenges together, in order to achieve common development goals, achieve mutual benefit and win-win progress, benefit people in China and Africa who make up one-third of the world's population, and make positive contributions to world peace and development.
Key Words
New Era, ChinaAfrica Relationship, ChinaAfrica Friendly Cooperation, Belt and Road Initiative, Community of Shared Future for Mankind, Independent Sustainable Development