China to implement 8 major initiatives with Africa

Sep 04, 2018

The Asian giant will provide emergency humanitarian food aid to African countries affected by natural disasters, and send 500 senior agricultural experts to Africa.

PIC: China's President Xi Jinping speaks during the opening ceremony of the of high-level dialogue between Chinese and African leaders and business and industry representatives on Monday. (AFP)

FOCAC BEIJING SUMMIT


China to implement eight major initiatives with African countries 
 
BEIJING - President Xi Jinping on Monday said China will implement eight major initiatives with African countries in the next three years and beyond, covering fields such as industrial promotion, infrastructure connectivity, trade facilitation, and green development.
 
Xi made the announcement in a keynote speech delivered at the opening ceremony of the 2018 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation. 

On industrial promotion, Xi said a China-Africa economic and trade expo will be set up in China and Chinese companies are encouraged to increase investment in Africa.

China will carry out 50 agricultural assistance programs, provide emergency humanitarian food aid amounting to 1 billion yuan ($147m) to African countries affected by natural disasters, and send 500 senior agricultural experts to Africa. 

On infrastructure connectivity, Xi said China will work with the African Union to formulate a China-Africa infrastructure cooperation plan and support Chinese companies in taking part in Africa's infrastructure development by way of investment-construction-operation or through other models.
 
On trade facilitation, Xi said China will increase imports, especially non-resource products, from Africa and support African countries in participating in China International Import Expo. The least developed African countries will be exempted from paying exhibition stand fees, he said. 

On green development, Xi said China will undertake 50 aid projects on green development, and ecological and environmental protection, with a focus on climate change, ocean, desertification prevention and control, and wildlife protection. 

On capacity building, Xi said China will set up 10 Luban Workshops in Africa to offer vocational training for young Africans.

China will also train 1,000 high-caliber Africans, provide Africa with 50,000 government scholarships, sponsor seminar and workshop opportunities for 50,000 Africans, and invite 2,000 African youths to visit China for exchanges.
 
On health care, Xi said China will upgrade 50 medical and health aid programs for Africa, with a focus on flagship projects such as the headquarters of the African Center for Disease Control and Prevention and China-Africa Friendship Hospitals. 

On people-to-people exchanges, Xi said China will set up an institute of African studies and enhance exchanges with Africa on civilization.

China welcomes Africa's participation in the Silk Road International League of Theaters, the Silk Road International Museum Alliance and the Network of Silk Road Art Festivals.

On peace and security, Xi said China will set up a China-Africa peace and security fund and continue providing free military aid to the African Union. A total of 50 security assistance programs will be carried out in the fields including UN peacekeeping missions, fighting piracy, and combating terrorism.
 

China's commitments to peace, development

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President Xi reiterated his country's commitments to peace and development, which are "the call of the times."
 
"China takes it as its mission to make new and even greater contribution to mankind," Xi said.

Xi said China is ready to work with international partners in building the Belt and Road.China will also get actively involved in global governance and stay committed to the vision of consultation, cooperation and benefit for all in global governance, Xi said.

Moreover, China will remain committed to opening-up, according to Xi.

"We firmly believe that peace and development are the theme and the call of the times," said Xi, urging the international community to respond to that call with solidarity, wisdom, courage and a sense of mission.
 
Distinctive path of win-win cooperation
 
President Xi said China and Africa have embarked on a distinctive path of win-win cooperation.
 
Africa's development has great potential and the continent is full of hope. China-Africa friendship and cooperation have broad vistas, and China and Africa can forge an even stronger comprehensive strategic and cooperative partnership, Xi said.

China values sincerity, friendship and equality in pursuing cooperation. The over 1.3 billion Chinese people have been with the over 1.2 billion African people in pursuing a shared future, he said.

The country follows a "five-no" approach in its relations with Africa: no interference in African countries' pursuit of development paths that fit their national conditions; no interference in African countries' internal affairs; no imposition of China's will on African countries; no attachment of political strings to assistance to Africa; and no seeking of selfish political gains in investment and financing cooperation with Africa, Xi said.

"No one could undermine the great unity between the Chinese people and the African people."
 
China pursues common interests and puts friendship first in cooperation. China believes the sure way to boost China-Africa cooperation is for both sides to leverage their respective strengths and for China to complement Africa's development through its own growth, and for both sides to pursue win-win cooperation and common development, Xi said.

"No one could hold back the Chinese people or the African people as we march toward rejuvenation.

"China takes a people-oriented approach in pursuing practical cooperation with efficiency. With top priority given to the interests of the Chinese and African peoples, China advances its cooperation with Africa to improve the wellbeing of Chinese and African peoples and deliver more benefits to them.

"We will fully honor the promises we have made to our African brothers," Xi said.

"No one could, out of their imagination or assumption, deny the remarkable achievements made in China-Africa cooperation. China takes an open and inclusive approach to cooperation.

"China stands ready to work with other international partners to support Africa in pursuing peace and development, Xi said. "No one could stand in the way or obstruct international efforts to support Africa's development."
 
China's $60b of financing to Africa

 

Meanwhile, China will extend a total of $60b of financing to Africa, President Xi announced.

The financing will be provided in the form of government assistance as well as investment and financing by financial institutions and companies, Xi said in a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the 2018 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).

The financing includes 15 billion U.S. dollars of grants, interest-free loans and concessional loans, $20b of credit lines, the setting up of a $10b special fund for development financing and a 5-billion-U.S. dollars special fund for financing imports from Africa.

Chinese companies are also encouraged to make at least $10b of investment in Africa in the next three years. China has honored its 2015 promise to provide Africa with funding support totaling $60b, Xi said, adding that the financing has been either delivered or arranged. 

China decided to provide the funding support at the FOCAC Johannesburg summit to ensure the successful implementation of ten China-Africa cooperation plans adopted at the summit. 
 
China to exempt certain African countries from debts 
 
China will exempt certain African countries from outstanding debts incurred in the form of interest-free Chinese government loans due by the end of 2018, Preident XI said.

The exemption will be granted to Africa's least developed countries, heavily indebted and poor countries, landlocked and small island developing countries that have diplomatic relations with China.
 
Building stronger China-Africa community with a shared future

 

The Chinese leader elaborated on building a stronger China-Africa community with a shared future in a keynote speech delivered at the opening ceremony of the 2018 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation.
 
Xi called for the building of a China-Africa community with a shared future that assumes joint responsibility, pursues win-win cooperation, delivers happiness for all, enjoys cultural prosperity, ensures common security, and promotes harmony between man and nature. 

Building a stronger China-Africa community with a shared future will set a model for the building of a community with a shared future for humanity, he said. 

China and Africa should increase political dialogue and policy communication at various levels, enhance mutual understanding and support on issues involving each other's core interests and major concerns, and boost coordination on major international and regional issues, said Xi.
 
Xi called for the alignment of the Belt and Road construction with the implementation of the African Union's Agenda 2063 and the United Nations' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as well as the development strategies of various African countries.

The two sides should make the enhancing of people's livelihoods the foundation of developing China-Africa relationship, Xi said, adding that China will do more to help Africa alleviate poverty, increase employment and income, and better the lives of its people. 

Xi called on the two sides to enhance exchanges, mutual learning and harmonious co-existence of Chinese and African civilizations, and expand personnel exchanges on culture and art, education and sports, think tanks and media, as well as women and youth.
 
China champions a new vision of security featuring common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, and will firmly support African countries and the African Union as well as other regional organizations in Africa in solving African issues in the African way, said Xi.

He said China will strengthen exchange and cooperation with Africa on climate change, clean energy, prevention and control of desertification and soil erosion, as well as the protection of wild animals and plants.

 

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