Sino-Africa friendship continues to flourish

Senegal, the last stop of your trip, has taken over as the new African co-chair of FOCAC. Next year will be the 20th anniversary of FOCAC. What is your comment on the journey FOCAC has traveled in the past two decades and how will China take forward its relations with Africa in 2020?

Since the inception of FOCAC in October 2000, seven ministerial conferences and three summits have been held thanks to the concerted efforts of China and Africa. FOCAC has grown into a valuable platform for collective dialogue and an effective mechanism for practical cooperation. The Beijing Summit of September 2018 was a great success. As a new milestone in the pursuit of greater solidarity and cooperation and common development between China and Africa, the Summit established FOCAC as an important pacesetter in international cooperation with Africa. Indeed, FOCAC has traveled an extraordinary journey in the past two decades.

First, in keeping with the desire of the two sides, China-Africa relations have been upgraded from a new type of partnership, to a new type of strategic partnership, and to a comprehensive strategic and cooperative partnership. During last year's Beijing Summit, President Xi Jinping and African leaders agreed to build an even stronger China-Africa community with a shared future, adding more substance to the comprehensive strategic and cooperative partnership between China and Africa.

Second, China-Africa relations and the bilateral ties of China and African countries have been running at a high level. In particular, on the sidelines of the 2018 Beijing Summit, President Xi Jinping had bilateral meetings with all participating African leaders, including 50 heads of state and government and the Chairperson of the AU Commission. The discussions between Chinese and African leaders on friendship and cooperation brought China-Africa friendly ties and mutual trust to a new height and gave a strong boost to the all-round development of China-Africa relations.

Third, all FOCAC meetings have produced practical outcomes that furthered China-Africa cooperation. They have been duly implemented as China takes its commitments seriously. After years of development, the Forum has seen its outcomes spreading across Africa and truly benefiting the African people. At last year's FOCAC Beijing Summit, eight major initiatives were adopted. Their implementation have become part and parcel of the cooperation between China and Africa under the Belt and Road Initiative, as well as implementation of the AU's Agenda 2063 and the UN's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and the development strategies of African countries. The eight major initiatives have been warmly received by African countries. China and Africa are working together to implement them as quickly as we can.

Fourth, through FOCAC, China and Africa have made our own voice heard on major international and regional issues, adding to the voice of unity and cooperation among China, Africa and other developing countries. As the outcomes of FOCAC have had a positive impact, the international community has paid more attention to Africa and major countries in the world have increased their engagement in Africa. These have brought positive energy and new hope to an international landscape that is otherwise full of uncertainty.

Next year will mark the 20th anniversary of FOCAC, and will be crucial in the full implementation of the follow-up actions of the Beijing Summit. Next year will also mark the 60th anniversary of China's diplomatic relations with Ghana and Mali, our traditional friends. Taking the 20th anniversary of FOCAC as an opportunity, China will work closely with Senegal as co-chairs, and with other African countries, to maintain close high-level exchanges and deepen Belt and Road cooperation. We will actively advance institution-building of the Forum, explore new development approaches and cooperation models, and work together to ensure sound implementation of the Beijing Summit follow-up actions, bring our practical cooperation to a higher level, and we will step up coordination and cooperation in international affairs. Together, we will build an even stronger China-Africa community with a shared future, and achieve mutual benefit and common development.