China, AU vow deepened cooperation

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and AU chairman Moussa Faki address a joint press conference in Addis Ababa. AU Photo

China and the African Union (AU) have expressed commitment to strengthening their varied cooperation towards achieving common development and prosperity.

This came on Wednesday when visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met and held talks with Chairperson of the AU Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, at the AU headquarters in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa.

Wang said that China and Africa have opened a new era of cooperation based on cooperation, win-win, and common development.

Stating that China supports AU's efforts to play a greater role in achieving lasting peace and sustainable development in Africa, the Foreign Minister expressed China's interest to establish a closer partnership with the new AU Commission.

China supports and promotes the successful implementation of the ten China-Africa cooperation plans in coordination with the AU 2063 agenda, according to the minister.

He also urged the international community to pay more attention to and further support Africa's efforts in achieving peace and development on the continent.

China and the African Union on Wednesday also co-organized the China-Africa High-level Dialogue and Think Tank Forum on Poverty Reduction and Development.

Wang said China is willing to support Africa's efforts in poverty reduction and to share the country's successful experiences in the area.

He has stated five priority areas in which China is keen to deepen cooperation with the pan-African body. These include implementation of the outcomes of the 2015 FOCAC summit; peace and security; public health; capacity building and human resource development; and coordination on regional and international issues.

The Chairperson of the AU Commission on his part has hailed the Sino-Africa cooperation as one of the most dynamic around the world, as the two sides are enjoying close communications and cooperation in various fields, such as political, economic, energy, transport, railways, industry, science and technology, among others.

He also said that China has helped Africa enhance its capacity building in areas such as infrastructure, education, and disease control.

The two sides have also maintained close coordination on issues such as peaceful development, anti-terrorism, combating transnational crime and coping with climate change, he said.

Faki said that Africa stands ready to promote the implementation of the ten China-Africa cooperation plans, in coordination with the AU Agenda 2063.

He also expressed the AU's keen interest to further strengthen the AU-China relations and deepen the strategic partnership between the two sides.