African countries hail President Xi's historic speech on stronger ties

JOHANNESBURG -- Senior African officials have welcomed with enthusiasm Chinese President Xi Jinping's keynote speech on China-Africa cooperation, saying the new initiatives announced by the president dovetail nicely with the priorities of Africa.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the second summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), Xi announced that China will roll out 10 major plans to boost cooperation with Africa in the coming three years.

"We have been very impressed by the speech of President Xi, because it is a very concrete proposal and a road map for the cooperation between China and Africa," said Kadre Desire Ouedraogo, the President of the Commission of the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS), to Xinhua.

Ouedraogo said the 10 areas of cooperation correspond to the priority of Africa, adding "we believe that is a starting point of a very successful cooperation between China and Africa."

The big package covers the areas of industrialization, agricultural modernization, infrastructure, financial services, green development, trade and investment facilitation, poverty reduction and public welfare, public health, people-to-people exchanges, and peace and security.

Xi announced that China will offer 60 billion U.S. dollars of funding support to ensure smooth implementation of the initiatives.

Tracy T. Zinanga, Senior officer of the Southern African Development Community, said the new Chinese initiatives will help Africa to industrialize and develop.

"I think it is a true friendship between the Chinese people and the African people," said Zinanga.

Mohamed Eisa, head of African Department in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sudan, described Xi's speech as "a milestone in the relations between Africa and China."

China is not only offering finance cooperation to help Africa's economic development, but also supporting peacekeeping forces and peace initiatives in Africa, Eisa said.

In his speech, Xi proposed that his country and Africa lift their relationship to a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership and join hands to open a new era of win-win cooperation and common development.

Xi stressed that China will adhere to the principles of sincerity, real results, affinity and good faith and strike a right balance between upholding principles and pursuing benefits in its Africa policy.

Minister Jeff Radebe, minister in the presidency of South Africa, told Xinhua that President Xi's speech was "the most important speech in the last century from China" about its relationship with Africa.

He said that the speech indicated China's "strategic, comprehensive and cooperative partnership" with African countries characterized by mutual benefit.

"The commercial agreements that have been reached and the aid China is giving to Africa is indicative of a stronger relationship between China and Africa," he said. "So we really appreciate that South Africa is part of these agreements that are to ensure we move from strength to strength in all areas like infrastructures, economy, and all cultural interactions between China and Africa."

Lesotho's Foreign Minister Tlohang Sekhamane said Xi's speech covers almost all fields of China-Africa cooperation.

"From infrastructure building to offering technical training, from poverty reduction to cooperation in the security sector, the measures announced by Xi are badly needed for African countries," said Sekhamane. "It is clear that China wants to be a partner looking for cooperation with Africa and it seeks opportunities of real win-win cooperation instead of looking for a situation of dominance. "

Zimbabwe's Ambassador to China Paul Chikawa said President Xi's speech is "very practical and sincere which will have broad influence in Africa."

"The new measures will not only benefit the continent that is home to the largest number of developing countries but also the largest developing country in the world," said Chikawa. "China-Africa cooperation will be a model for South-South cooperation."

"Xi's announcement on helping African countries build infrastructure, boost personnel exchange, offer training and improve people's livelihood are very impressive. They are the most severe challenges that African countries are facing now. The agreement reached by Chinese and African leaders will bring more well-being to people from both sides and will elevate the current Sino-Africa cooperation to a new high," said the Zimbabwean ambassador.

Adji Ayassor, the Togolese Minister of State in the Ministry of Economy, Finance and Development Planning, told Xinhua that the Chinese president's speech has told "the truth about the cooperation between China and Africa."

"We believe that is the best way to develop Africa," said Ayassor, stressing his country welcomes China's commitment to help Africa move forward.

Unlike Western colonizers, China "is not colonizing Africa," he said. "It (China) is taking a real path of Africa's development. It is a real cooperation."

The Togolese state minister highlighted China's friendly relations with Togo, saying that when China entered the United Nations, Togo was among the first African countries to support China.

Nowadays, China has been helping Togo in many areas, including culture, education and, in particular infrastructure, said Ayassor.