THE2018BeijingSummitoftheForumonChinaAfricaCooperation(FOCAC)washeldonSeptember3and4inBeijing,andhadmorethan50leadersofAfricancountriesandtheAfricanUnion(AU)CommissionChairmaninattendance.TheUNSecretary-GeneralAntónioGuterresattendedasaspecialguest,while27internationalandAfricanregionalorganizationstookpartinthesummitactivitiesasobservers.ThissummithasbecomeoneofthelargestandhighestleveldiplomaticactivitiesinChinatodate.Takingasitstheme,“ChinaandAfrica:towardanevenstrongercommunitywithasharedfuturethroughwinwincooperation,”thesummitreachedaseriesofimpor-tantachievements,amongwhichitpassedtheBeijingDeclaration–TowardanEvenStrongerChina-AfricaCommunitywithaSharedFutureandtheFOCACBeijingActionPlan(2019-2021).Moreimportantly,thetwosidesagreedtobuildaclosercommunitywithasharedfuture.ThissummitwitnessedhistoricmomentsinpromotingtheChina-Africafriendship,strengtheningunityandcooperation,andpromotingcommondevelopmentofChinaandAfrica.ARichHarvestofResults
Firstofall,theFOCACBeijingSummithassetanewgrandgoalforpromotingChina-Africarelations.ChinaandAfricahavealwaysbeenclosepartnersofacommondestiny.Atthesummit,ChinesePresidentXiJinpingputforwardthepropositionof“buildingastrongerChina-Africacommunitywithasharedfuture,”andclarifiedthespecificconnotationofthe“six-inone”proposalthatChinaandAfricashouldjoinhandstobuildaChina-Africacommunitywithasharedfuturethatfeaturesjointresponsibility,win-wincooperation,happinessforall,commonculturalprosperity,commonsecurity,andharmoniousco-existence.AllofthishasbeenhighlyendorsedbyalltheAfricancountries.ThisgreatlystrengthenedtheresolveofChinaandAfricatobringtheircooperationinvariousfieldstoahigherlevel.Tothisend,theysetgoalsandlaiddowntheroadmapforthedevelopmentoftheChina-Africacomprehensivestrategicpartnership.
Secondly,thesummitinstillednewvigorintoChina-Africacooperation.Basedonacomprehensivesummaryofthesuccessfulexperienceofthe“10cooperationplans”ofChinaandAfrica,thesummitfocusedonstrengtheningpertinenceandeffectivenessofcooperation.Whentalkingaboutpeople-centeredcooperation,PresidentXiJinpingproposedthatChinaandAfricajointlyimplementeightmajorinitiatives,namelyindustrialpromotion,facilitiesconnectivity,tradefacilitation,greendevelopment,capacitybuilding,healthandhygiene,culturalandeducationalexchanges,aswellaspeaceandsecurity.ChinaiswillingtoprovideAfricawithUS$60billionworthofsupportinformsofgovernmentaid,financingoffinancialinstitutions,andcorporateinvestment.AfricanleadershighlyvaluethesemeasuresandbelievethemeasureswillfurtherpromoteChina-AfricacooperationandacceleratetherealizationofsustainabledevelopmentinAfricancountries.TheyalsobelievethattheBeltandRoadInitiativeiscloselylinkingAsiaandAfricatogether,injectingnewvitalitytoChina-Africacooperation,andofferinginnovativesolutionsforglobalgovernance.
Thirdly,thesummitcreatednewspacefordeepeningSouth-Southcooperation.Thesummitfurtherhighlightedthecooperativewillingnessandconsensusofthe55participatingentitiesrepresentingapopulationof2.6billionpeople.Ithasissueditsownvoiceonmajorinternationalandregionalissues,andexplorednewpathsfordevelopmentandcooperation,showingitsexemplaryroleinpromotingSouth-Southcooperationandhelpingtobettersafeguardthecommoninterestsofdevelopingcountries.
Finally,positivecontributionsweremadetomaintaintheexistinginternationalsystem.Thesummitwasheldatatimewhentheinternationallandscapeisundergoingdeepadjustments.ChinaandAfricahaveclearlyissuedastrongvoiceagainstunilateralismandprotectionism,andfirmlyadheretomultilateralismandthefreetradesystem.Theyadvocateadheringtotheprincipleofextensiveconsultation,jointcontribution,andsharedbenefits,activelypromotingthereformoftheglobalgovernancesystem,andpushingeconomicglobalizationtowardopen,inclusive,balanced,andwinwindevelopments.Inthisway,thesummitcontributedpositivefactorstotheinternationalcommunity,whichisbeingfesteredbyuncertaintyandinstability.
AGrandRoadmap
ThecontinuationoftheChina-Africafriendshipandcooperationisafullembodimentofnewideas,newinitiatives,andnewmeasuresofChinesediplomacyinthenewera.Insummingupthelong-termfriendshipandcooperationbetweenChinaandAfrica,PresidentXiJinpingrevealedthesubstantivecharacteristicsofChina-AfricasolidarityandcooperationbyclarifyingChina’sprinciples:Chinavaluessincerity,friendship,andequalityinpursuingcooperation;Chinapursuescommoninterestsandputsfriendshipfirstinpursuingcooperation;Chinatakesapeople-orientedapproachinpursuingpracticalcooperationwithefficiency;Chinatakesanopenandinclusiveapproachtocooperation.Thus,adistinctivewin-wincooperationpathisblazed.InPresidentXi’sspeech,hehighlighted“fivenoes”inChina’scooperationwithAfrica:nointerferenceinAfricancountries’pursuitofdevelopmentpathsthatfittheirnationalconditions;nointerferenceinAfricancountries’internalaffairs;noimpositionofChina’swillonAfricancountries;noattachmentofpoliticalstringstoassistancetoAfrica;andnoseekingofselfishpoliticalgainsininvestmentandfinancingcooperationwithAfrica.
Sittinginthevenuelisteningtohisspeech,thesignificanceofthemomentandfeelingsharedbetweenAfricaandChinaatthatmomentgreatlymovedme.Duringthepast50years,despitethechangingofinternationaltrends,ineverycriticalperiodofthedevelopmentofChina-Africarelations,bothsidescouldlookpastthechallengestofindnewwaystopromoteChinaAfricarelationsbyexpandingChina-Africacooperation.Thisrelationshiphasremainedunshakable,andwillbecomeevenstrongerastimegoesby.
Today,Africancountriesaregenerallylookingforwardtoacceleratingtheprocessofindustrializationandmoderndevelopmentofagriculture,andarecommittedtoachievingeconomicindependence,andindependentandsustainabledevelopment.Asaresultofitsdeepeningreformatalllevels,andpromotionofeconomicrestructuring,ChinahassuitableconditionsforachievingmutuallybeneficialandwinwindevelopmentbasedoncomplementaryadvantageswithAfricancountries.
Africawas,inhistory,oneoftheextendeddestinationsoftheancientSilkRoad,andnowisamajorparticipantintheBeltandRoadInitiative.ThisparticipationwillgreatlybenefitthecontinentofAfricasinceitmeansmoreincomingresourcesandpromisesbiggermarketsandabetterfuture.
TheFOCACsummitheldlastmonthjoinedtogethertheBeltandRoadInitiative,theUN’s2030AgendaforSustainableDevelopment,andtheAfricanUnion’sAgenda2063.ItalsoconnectedinternationalcooperationinindustrywithAfrica’sindustrialization,anddemonstratedChina’swillingnesstoshareitspovertyalleviationexperiencewithAfrica.TheessenceofSino-AfricancooperationwassummarizedbyXiJinpinginhisspeechas,“valuingsincerity,friendship,andequality;seekingcommoninterestsandputtingfriendshipfirstinpursuingcooperation;beingpeopleoriented;andtakinganopenandinclusiveapproachtocooperation.”
Inthesummitdocuments,ChinapledgesthatitsaidtoAfrica,whichhasnopoliticalstringsattached,aimstohelpthelatterdevelopaninnerdrivetowardeconomicgrowthinsteadofbeingdependentonexportingrawmaterials.OnlyinthiswaywillAfrica’ssecondaryandtertiaryindustriesbecomestrong,andSino-Africaneconomiccooperationbestrengthened.Ontheotherside,Africastressesthatasustainableanddiversifiedpathwithbalancedsocialandeconomicdevelopmentistheguaranteetowin-winresults.ChineseandforeignartistsstageaKungFuperformancefollowingabanquetheldtowelcomeguestsattendingtheFOCACBeijingSummitattheGreatHallofthePeopleinBeijingonSeptember.3,2018.Xinhua/YanYanBothsidesmovedforwardonarouteofwin-wincooperationastheyagreedtoworktogetherundertheframeworkoftheBeltandRoadInitiativeinindustries,infrastructure,tradeandcommerce,investment,energyresources,agriculture,andenvironmentalprotectionamongothers.Meanwhile,thekeyalwaysliesinimprovingAfrica’sabilityofindependentdevelopment,itslivelihood,andworkingenvironment.Besides,aligningtheBRIwiththeAU’sAgenda2063,theUN’s2030Agenda,andAfricancountries’developmentstrategieswillfacilitatecooperationandbenefitmorepeople.
Bothpartiesemphasizedtheimportanceofsecurity,andmuchtimewasspentatthesummitdiscussingwaystomaintainit.Therewillbefurthercooperationinpeaceandsecurity.Chinahasdecidedtoestablishafoundationinthisregard,thefirstoneofitskindinAfrica.Besides,ChinaisfirminsupportingAfricancountriesandregionalorganizationstofindwaystosolvesocialproblemsintheAfricanway.ChinadeclaredthatitwillalsoprovidefreemilitaryaidtotheAU,insupportofAfricancountriesandregionsnearSahel,GulfofAden,andGulfofGuineatoimprovetheirownabilityofpeacekeeping.
ALandmarkofSouth-SouthCooperation
ThesummitsetamilestoneforSouth-Southcooperation.Chinaisthebiggestdevelopingcountryintheworld,whileAfricahasthelargestnumberofdevelopingcountries.Theirwillingnesstodevelopshouldertoshoulderwillneverbesubjecttodisparityinstrengthorvicissitudesintheinternationalarena.
Thisyear,wearegladtoseethatforumsbetweenChinaandLatinAmerica,ChinaandtheArabworld,ChinaandAfricawereheldinsuccession,coveringthemajorityofdevelopingcountries.Besidestheseforums,ChinaalsohostedtheBoaoForumforAsia(BFA)annualconference2018andtheShanghaiCooperationOrganizationQingdaoSummit.ThesealldemonstratethefactthatChinaisdeterminedtopromoteSouth-Southcooperationandalsoshowthestrongmomentumofcooperationamongdevelopingcountries.
PresidentXipointedoutinhisspeechatthesummitthatChinawilldeepenitssolidarityandcooperationwithotherdevelopingcountriesforcommongrowth;andwillinvitewillingcountriestoworktogetherinbuildingtheBeltandRoad,andsharethedividends.Seeingthattheinitiativeopensupanewpathforsolvingglobaldevelopmentissues,Africanscountrieshaveshowngreatinitiativetojoin.
Theunprecedentedchangesintheworldtodaycreatenewopportunities,whileatthesametime,theyposechallengessuchasdeficitsinpeace,development,andgovernance.Asthebiggestdevelopingcountry,Chinaisduty-boundtosafeguardthecommoninterestsofthedevelopingworld,andworkwithothersforamorejustandbalancedworldandacommunitywithasharedfuture.Itwillsticktotheprincipleofachievingsharedgrowththroughextensiveconsultationandcollaboration,andwillbeopenandinclusivetoexploringthepotentialcooperationwithotherdevelopingcountries.
WiththeconclusionofFOCACBeijingSummit,stepshavebeentakentoimplementwhatwasagreedon.Duringthesummit,MoUsweresignedon42cooperationprojectsintheindustrialsectorbetweenChinaandAfricancountriesincludingEgypt,andSouthAfrica.Therearealsootherongoingprojectsonpeopleto-peopleexchanges.
“Ifyouwanttogofast,goalone;butifyouwanttogofar,gotogether.”ThisAfricanidiomisrevealing.ThenewstartwillonceagainputSino-Africanrelationsonapathwhichthetwocanmarchhandinhandtowardestablishingacommunitywithasharedfutureformankind.