By He Yin
China-Africa relations have withstood the test of the vicissitudes of the international landscape, become firmer as time goes by, and always maintained strong vitality. The sound development of the bilateral ties comes from the fact that the friendly relations and cooperation between China and Africa conform to historical trends; the defining feature of China-Africa relations are sincere friendship, mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit, as well as common development; and both sides can scale new heights and find new areas of converging interests and new growth points in bilateral cooperation to realize new leaps of the bilateral ties at every critical stage. This is quite revealing.
In the new era, Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed the principle of sincerity, real results, amity and good faith and the principle of pursuing the greater good and shared interests for developing China-Africa relations. He has also personally promoted the building of a closer China-Africa community with a shared future and been engaged in head-of-state diplomacy in developing bilateral relations with Africa, which has effectively accelerated the growth of China-Africa ties.
Given the mounting uncertainties and instabilities in the international landscape, China and Africa are joining hands to counter unilateralism and protectionism, and unswervingly safeguarding the international system with the United Nations at its the core and the international order based on international law.
As former Mozambican President Joaquim Chissano pointed out, Africa’s development goals are highly compatible with those of China, and that China-Africa cooperation can help improve global systems, strengthen global governance, and provide fair platforms for all countries seeking prosperity and development.
The usual year of 2020 witnessed how China and Africa voiced support for each other amid the COVID-19 pandemic and fought against the pandemic side by side. The two sides have set an example of international cooperation against the COVID-19 and lifted their bilateral relations to a new height.
Since the outbreak of the pandemic, more than 50 leaders of African countries expressed sympathy and support for China via phone calls or statements. As African was stricken by the virus, China was the first country to rush in with assistance. China sent expert teams to 15 African countries, started the construction of the new headquarters of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ahead of schedule, and pledged that once the development and deployment of COVID-19 vaccine is completed in China, African countries would be among the first to benefit.
When chairing the Extraordinary China-Africa Summit on Solidarity against COVID-19 on June 17, Xi pointed the way forward for the joint fight against the COVID-19, pragmatic cooperation, as well as the development of bilateral ties between China and Africa.
China and Africa have worked together actively to implement the outcomes of the summit, benefiting Chinese and African people, as well as people in the rest of the world.
In-depth cooperation between the two sides has shown the solidarity and leadership the world needs to defeat the pandemic, said World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
China and Africa have been a community with a shared future all along, and enhancing friendly ties and cooperation with Africa has been a consistent choice of China’s diplomacy.
Over the past 31 consecutive years, Chinese foreign minister has chosen Africa for the first overseas visit every year. The tradition has manifested the great importance the country attaches to Africa, the unbreakable friendship between the two sides, as well as China’s firm support for the development and revitalization of African countries.
–The Daily Mail-People’s Daily News Exchange Item
