Xiplomacy: China-Africa reciprocal cooperation prospers thanks to close people-to-people bonds

BROTHERS OF ONE MIND

Over the past six decades, China and Africa, with close people-to-people bonds, have enjoyed ever-deepening win-win cooperation. Their friendship has been tempered in struggle, tested by time, and is ready to embrace new development opportunities.

In April 1955, the Bandung Conference was held in Indonesia, where Chinese and African leaders shook hands, marking the beginning of friendly exchanges between the two sides. Since then, China has supported Africa's just cause of fighting against imperialism and colonialism and for national liberation. African countries supported China in restoring its lawful seat in the United Nations.

China put forward the principles of sincerity, real results, amity and good faith, and pursuing the greater good and shared interests in 2013 to guide its cooperation with Africa. China-Africa relations have entered a fast track toward a stronger China-Africa community with a shared future.

Since March 2013 after Xi was elected as Chinese president, the FOCAC summit has been held twice, with both sides striving to advance the 10 cooperation plans, eight major initiatives and nine programs.

Since the beginning of this year, three African presidents have visited China. While talking with President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Felix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo in Beijing, Xi said China firmly supports Africa in pursuing an independent development path and becoming an important pole in world politics, economy and civilization, adding that China is ready to provide new opportunities for African countries with its new development.

China will work with Africa to implement the outcomes of the Ministerial Conference of the FOCAC in Dakar, advance Belt and Road cooperation, support Africa in achieving sustainable development, and build a China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era, Xi said.

During his visit to Beijing last month, Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki said the evolution of international order is at a critical stage, and African countries still face hegemonism and unfair and unjust treatment.

The international community expects and believes that China will make greater contributions to human development and progress, and to international fairness and justice, Afwerki said.