In March 2013, President Xi Jinping proposed the idea of building a "China-Africa community with a shared future" during his visit to South Africa. He said China and Africa share a similar history, common development tasks and shared strategic interests, and therefore stand as a "community with a shared future."
In a speech from Tanzania, President Xi also proposed developing relations with Africa based on the fundamental principles of "sincerity, real results, friendship and good faith" to make a steady progress.
He pointed out that China had a sincere desire to build strong ties with its African friends, noting that China's cooperation with Africa had been and would continue to be results-oriented, and stressing that the traditional and intimate friendship between the Chinese and African people would continue to be strengthened. China would always act in good faith in addressing problems that might occur in its relations with Africa, he promised.
Chinese President Xi Jinping (L, front) and Denis Sassou Nguesso (R, front), the President of the Republic of Congo, attend the completion ceremony of the China-Republic of Congo Friendship Hospital project in Brazzaville, capital of the Republic of Congo, March 30, 2013. /Xinhua Photo
Moreover, during their visits to Africa over the past five years, President Xi and Premier Li Keqiang have also repeatedly stressed the importance for China to establish "a healthy approach to the greater good and self-interest" and to properly address the relationship between the greater good and self-interest in its policy toward Africa, especially in economic and trade cooperation.
As the old Chinese saying goes, "a gentleman has his noble way in attaining his monetary aspiration." China should hold dear to moral obligations in dealing with African countries, treat its African friends on an equal footing, be sincere and friendly, keep its promises and speak up for the legitimate rights and reasonable demands of Africa.
For China, "self-interest" means "mutual benefit." China will never follow the old path of plundering by colonists or follow the capitalists' profiteering approach, nor will it be like some countries that are only seeking to realize their own self-interest. China is ready to work with its African friends for common development and prosperity.
It is precisely on the basis of the concept of "sincerity, real results, friendship and good faith" and the healthy approach to the greater good and self-interest that China has not forgotten its African friends after its own economic development, but has increased its cooperation with them. China hopes to make use of its technology, capital and experience to bring about common development and prosperity in Africa.
In order to amplify Africa's voice in international affairs and draw more attention to African affairs in the international community, China, as the host of the G20 Hangzhou Summit in 2016, fully leveraged its role in platform building and agenda setting. It set "supporting industrialization in Africa and the least developed countries" as an important topic of the Summit and had it written into the G20 Leaders' Communique for the first time. It also provided a platform for communication and interaction between Africa and G20 countries.
China also invited Chad, which was holding the rotating African Union presidency, Senegal, the chair of the New Partnership for Africa's Development, and Egypt, an important country in North Africa, in addition to South Africa, a member of the G20, to attend the Summit. This not only reflects the importance China attaches to Africa's development, but also provides African countries with much-needed and necessary opportunities to participate in the reform of global governance, thus boosting Africa's rising international status.
Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) meets with Chadian President Idriss Deby Itno in Hangzhou G20 Summit, September 3, 2016. /Xinhua Photo
In other words, as China moves ever closer to the center of the world stage and plays an increasingly important role in international affairs, it must propel its African friends into the limelight as well.
Looking ahead, we are aware that building a "China-Africa community with a shared future" requires solid efforts politically and economically. At the political level, China and Africa need to continuously build political consensus and strengthen the exchange of experience in state governance; both sides should enhance the mutual understanding and learning of each other's political development paths and models, and draw upon each other's strengths on the basis of mutual understanding.
At the economic level, it is imperative for China and Africa to further strengthen economic cooperation and work together on the "Belt and Road Initiative." As Africa’s economic development still lags behind, it needs not only "blood transfusion" in terms of capital, technology and human resources, but also the enhancement of its "hematopoietic ability." Special attention should therefore be paid to technology transfer to and talent development and job creation of Africa in the course of China-Africa industrial cooperation.
More financing support should be flowing into African small- and medium-sized enterprises as part of China-Africa financial cooperation, and more attention should be paid to the sustainable development of the related projects in the process of strengthening infrastructure connectivity.
It is only by helping Africa realize its "African Dream" of poverty reduction and development that a "China-Africa community with a shared future" can be made indestructible.
Editorial Consultant/ Liang Chenglu
Editor/ Meng Han
Author: He Wenping is a senior fellow of the Charhar Institute, researcher of Institute of West-Asian and African Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences
Source: CGTN，2018-08-29
Original Link: https://news.cgtn.com/news/3d3d514f7a41444f79457a6333566d54/share_p.html