Belt, Road high on Sino-African agenda

President Xi Jinping said China hopes to follow up its successful hosting of the 2018 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation by working with the African Union to push forward the joint building of the Belt and Road.

Xi made the comment when meeting with Moussa Faki Mahamat, chairman of the African Union Commission, in Beijing on Wednesday.

China is ready to better align its strategies with those of the AU's, deepen pragmatic cooperation and expand security cooperation with the organization, Xi said.

China has always supported the AU in leading Africa's integration and playing a more constructive role in the development of China-Africa ties as well as in the affairs of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, the president said.

China also firmly supports the AU and African countries in handling African issues the African way, the president added.

China supports the improvement of Africa's capability to independently maintain peace and stability, and supports the AU in better leading and coordinating transnational and trans-regional cooperation, he added.

The AU Commission chairman said Africa-China ties are developing in the right direction under the guidance of Xi.

The eight major initiatives Xi has put forward, that fit in with the Belt and Road Initiative, will assist the AU in achieving its Agenda 2063 targets, and will surely promote Africa's peace and development, the chairman said.

China has won the hearts of the African people, and the AU will work with China and African members of the forum to implement the consensus reached at the summit, he said.

The AU is against protectionism and unilateralism, and it hopes to strengthen coordination and cooperation with China in international and regional affairs, the chairman added.