Li opens up new vistas in African ties

Landmark visit to usher in new era of collaboration

Premier Li Keqiang's just concluded four-nation visit to Africa was as profound as it was potentially game changing. From the look of things, Li's first visit to Africa since assuming office in 2013 heralds a completely new, re-invigorated and expanded horizon in Sino-African cooperation.

Never in the annals of diplomacy and development has there been such a swing through Africa as Li's development and cooperation safari. The scope of the tour, particularly in development partnerships and specific projects is a boost to the already burgeoning prospects of Sino-African relations. Li's visit to Africa buttresses the gains accruing from President Xi Jinping's visit to Tanzania, South Africa and Congo in 2013.

Compared with the visits of other countries' leaders, Chinese leaders' visits to Africa have been easily more substantive, mutually beneficial, dignified and fraternal. The biggest achievement of Li's visit is that it was all about development, about real nation building, including at regional neighbourhood levels. The deals struck during his visit will result in groundbreaking projects that will help Africa far into the rest of the 21st century.

The Chinese premier's visit has a significant precedence. Fifty years ago, when most of Africa was shaking off colonial shackles, China's first premier Zhou Enlai visited Africa for the first time. Zhou is best remembered as an expert in foreign policy and economic revolution. Indeed, the pillars upon which Deng Xiaoping's famous economic reforms in China were set bore the marks of Zhou's vision, outlook and achievements.

In a curious deja vu situation, Li seems to be a chip off the old block and a bridge to a brighter skyline for relations between China and Africa. Zhou's principles of 50 years ago were full of foresight. They included the Chinese tradition of always using the principle of equality and mutual benefit in providing aid to other nations, and China has never attached any conditions or asked for any privileges in return for its aid.

In its development partnerships, China has helped lighten the burden of recipient countries as much as possible by aiming to help them gradually achieve self-reliance and independent development. It focuses on the development of projects that require less investment but yield quicker results, providing the best-quality equipment and materials of its own manufacture.

In providing technical assistance, China ensures the personnel of the recipient country fully master such techniques. Chinese experts are not allowed to make any special demands or enjoy any special amenities.

Li's 2014 principles have deep roots in Zhou's visionary selflessness. In his speech to the African Union, Li outlined six main areas of cooperation between China and Africa: industry, finance, poverty reduction, environmental protection, people-to-people exchange, and peace and security. In other words, China leaves Africa in a better place and Africans eminently well experienced and better equipped to climb up to the next level.

Economically, Li visited West, South and East Africa, well representing the entire continent. In Nairobi (in East Africa), he met other heads of state from the sub-region. Among the pacts signed on this landmark leg of his tour were the establishment of the China-Africa Development Bank in the sub-region, headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, with capital allocation of $2.5 billion. Also to be set up in Nairobi is the China-Africa Research Center with an allocation of $66 million.

The sub-region's greatest infrastructure project, the standard gauge railway, that will interconnect eastern Africa and greatly ease the movement of people and goods and thus facilitate trade, was also unveiled at a ceremony in Nairobi. Among others, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, Rwandan President Paul Kagame and South Sudan President Salva Kiir were at the event.

In Ethiopia, Li attended the ceremony to mark the completion of a highway built by Chinese enterprises, visited an industrial park, took part in a seminar with businesspeople from China and African countries and delivered a speech at the African Union Convention Centre. In Nigeria, he attended the 2014 World Economic Forum on Africa. In Angola, he attended a seminar with Chinese companies and overseas Chinese and held talks aimed at strengthening the oil trade. And in Kenya, the only developing country that hosts a UN headquarters, Li met UN officials and discussed with them China's cooperation with the world body before wrapping up his Africa visit on a high and bountiful note.

The already expanding dimensions of Sino-African development cooperation in such sectors as roads, railways and telecom services were exponentially heightened in the course of Li's visit, with Chinese ministers and company executives accompanying Li signing dozens of agreements with their African counterparts.

Most importantly, the way the Chinese premier and his team were embraced throughout their four-nation tour leaves no room for negativity.

The author is vice-chairman of China-Africa Friendship Association (Kenya), and culture editor of Nairobi-based Diplomat East Africa Magazine. The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.