Atthemediacenterofthe2018BeijingSummitoftheForumonChina-AfricaCooperation,reportersfromhomeandabroadexperiencetechnologycombiningtheirpersonalimageswithBeijing’smostfamousattractions.byGuoShasha
Morethan2,600reportersfromhomeandabroadcoverthe2018BeijingSummitoftheForumonChina-AfricaCooperation.byGuoShashaOnSeptember3,2018,ChinesePresidentXiJinpingdeliveredakeynotespeechattheopeningceremonyofthe2018BeijingSummitoftheForumonChina-AfricaCooperation(FOCAC).Inthespeech,XiannouncedthatChinawouldimplementeightmajorinitiatives,includingexpandingimportsfromAfrica,forthenextthreeyearsandbeyondtobuildaclosercommunitywithasharedfutureforChinaandAfrica.
InjectingCertainty
Theinternationalcommunityisfacingmajorstrategicuncertainties.WhileU.S.PresidentDonaldTrumpmadethe“AmericaFirst”doctrinehisgoverningconcept,greatuncertaintystillexistsastohowtheideawillbeputintopracticefurther.Brexittalkshavereachedadisturbingdeadlock,leavingthepossibilitythatBritainwillwalkawaywithnodeal.Currenciesofsomeemergingeconomies,TurkeyandArgentinainparticular,haveplummeted,makingprospectsfortheireconomicdevelopmentunclear.Atthesametime,ChinaandAfricaarefacingtheirownrespectiveuncertainties.Againstthisbackdrop,the2018FOCACBeijingSummitoutlinedclearplansformid-andlong-termcooperationstrategiesbetweenChinaandAfricathatwillinjectcertaintyintothecurrentgloballandscape.
“TheeightmajoractionplansinPresidentXi’sspeechareallsubstantial,”opinesZhangChun,directorandresearchfellowattheInstituteforForeignPolicyStudiesundertheShanghaiInstitutesforInternationalStudies.“Forexample,helpingAfrica’scapacity-buildinghasbecomeanindependentpartoftheactionplanseventhoughwewerealreadyfocusedonit.AndnowChina-Africainstituteswillbebuilt.Ithinkthisstepisveryimportantforpeople-to-peopleexchangebetweenChinaandAfrica.Additionally,ChinahasdecidedtosetupaChina-Africapeaceandsecurityfundtoboostcooperationonsecurity,peacekeeping,andlawandorder.IthinkthisisagreatleapofChina’sprovisionofglobalpublicgoods,especiallyinthesecurityarena.”
ThisFOCACsummithasalsoprovidednewideasfortransformationoftheinternationalsystem.Chinaendeavorstobecomeaninnovation-orientednationundertheframeworkoftheinternationalsystem.Duringthisprocess,akeyissuethatneedstobeponderedoverandaddressedremainsthatofwhethertheriseofamajorcountrybenefitsorharmstheinternationalcommunity.Acrosshumanhistory,developingcountrieshaveoftenfallenvictimtorisinggreatpowers.Relativelyrecently,theslavetradeandcolonialwarsofferedgrimproof.The2018FOCACBeijingSummitmarkedanimportantstepforChinatobecomeaninnovation-orientednationundertheframeworkoftheinternationalsystem,whichwillensuredevelopingcountriesarethegreatestbeneficiariesofChina’srise.
Four“News”
Inhisreport,Xiemphasizedtheconnectivityamongactionplanssuchasthe2030AgendaforSustainableDevelopmentandtheAfricanUnion(AU)Agenda2063,theChina-proposedBeltandRoadInitiativeanddevelopmentstrategiesofvariousAfricancountries.
“Wewelcomedfour‘news’intheactionplansproposedbyChinainXi’sspeech,”remarksZhang.“Thefirstwas‘alignment,’whichreferstoaligningChina’sBeltandRoadInitiativewiththeAUAgenda2063,theUN2030AgendaforSustainableDevelopmentandthedevelopmentprogramsofAfricancountries.SuchalignmentswillgreatlypromoteaclosercommunitywithasharedfutureforChinaandAfrica.”May20,2018:LocalchildrenperformmartialartsattheinauguralceremonyofthePreparatoryCommitteeofAfrica-ChinaCultureandArtsExchangeSocietyinGaborone,Botswana.VCG“Thesecond‘new’isemphasizingsustainability,”Zhangcontinues.“FromXi’sspeech,wesawalotofadjustmentsinsupportofAfrica,especiallytheportfolioofthecapitalChinawillprovideforAfrica.Forexample,wehavetripledgrants,interest-freeloansandconcessionalloanstoAfricacomparedtothe2015JohannesburgSummit.They’veincreasedfromUS$5billiontoUS$15billion,coveringsustainableprojectsrelatedtopeaceandsecurity,capacity-buildingandpeople-to-peopleexchange.”
“Thethird‘new’is‘quality.’Overthepast18years,China-Africacooperationhasexpandedexponentiallyinquantity.Inhisspeech,Ximentionedqualityalot.Wewillnowstoppursuingcooperationmarkedbyvolumebutinsteadseekhigh-qualitycooperation.Thefourth‘new’addressesdoubts,whichsomeforeignanalystshaveexpressed,aboutwhowillwinmoreinthewinwincooperationbetweenChinaandAfrica.Thistime,ChinapromisedtosetupaUS$5billionspecialfundforfinancingimportsfromAfrica.Clearly,ChinawillimportmorecommoditiesfromthecontinentandhelpAfricancountrieswinmore.”
Additionally,manyofthemeasuresintheeightinitiativesXioutlinedaredesignedtohelpyoungpeopleinAfrica,whichwillprovideyoungAfricanswithmoretrainingandjobopportunitiesandopenupmorespacefortheirdevelopment.
“ThisisoneofthehighlightsofXi’sspeech,”Zhangstresses.“Youngpeopleareimportantforbothsides.Chinahasbecomeanagingsociety,whileinAfricathesituationistotallydifferent.Morethan50percentofthecontinent’spopulationcomprisesyouthundertheageof18.Ifwelookatfuturetrends,inthenext15to20years,theAfricanpopulationwillincreaseby50percentto1.8billionfromthecurrent1.2billion.Ifwelookfurther,to2050,thepopulationinAfricawillreach2.5billionwithevenmoreyoungpeople.Thisgrowthwillpresentbothopportunitiesandchallenges.Africacurrentlylacksvariousresourcesforeducation,employmentandindividualdevelopmentofitsyoungpeople,sowemusthelpAfricancountriesendurethepopulationboomandsolveproblemsthatcomealongwithitbeforetheycanenjoythedividendsofthepopulation.Wefirmlybelievethatthefutureisinthehandsoftheyouth,andChina-Africacooperation,especiallypeople-to-peopleexchange,needstobebasedonexchangeandmutualunderstandingbetweenyoungpeopleofbothsides,whichwillpavethewayforabrightfutureofcooperation.”