The 2024 Summit of Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) is held in Beijing from September 4th to 6th, 2024. Since the first ministerial meeting of FOCAC took place in Beijing in 2000, the forum has now marked 24 years of progress. This year's summit serves as another grand reunion of the China-Africa family and is one of China's largest diplomatic events in recent years, with the most foreign leaders in attendance.
But how has China and Africa's cooperation evolved over the years, and how has this partnership become a flagship of South-South cooperation? Yangcheng Evening News Political Insights reviewed this journey.
Two foundational documents that cemented the framework
China is the world's largest developing country, and Africa has the largest number of developing countries. Established in 2000, FOCAC has created a closer bond between China and Africa.
The inaugural ministerial meeting of FOCAC took place in Beijing from October 10th to 12th, 2000. Over 80 ministers from China and 44 African countries attended, along with representatives from 17 international and regional organizations, and business figures from both sides. There were two key topics discussed. First, how can a new international political and economic order be promoted in the 21st century? Second, how can we further enhance China-Africa cooperation in trade and economic areas in this new era?
This historic meeting resulted in two landmark documents: the "Beijing Declaration of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation" and the "Program for China-Africa Cooperation in Economic and Social Development". These documents formally established the FOCAC mechanism.
Notably, the "Beijing Declaration" emphasized the creation of a new, long-term, stable, and mutually beneficial partnership within the framework of South-South cooperation. This was the birth of the "new type of China-Africa partnership", which remains a guiding principle today. FOCAC now includes China, 53 African countries that have diplomatic relations with China, and the African Union Commission.
Three milestones in China-Africa relations
In 2006, the FOCAC Beijing Summit established a "new type of China-Africa strategic partnership". In 2015, the Johannesburg Summit upgraded this to a "comprehensive strategic and cooperative partnership". In 2018, the Beijing Summit charted the path toward building an even closer "China-Africa Community with a Shared Future", bringing the relationship to its strongest point in history.
This progression, from a "new type of partnership" to a "new type of strategic partnership", and then to a "comprehensive strategic and cooperative partnership", reflects the significant strides China-Africa relations have made since the inaugural forum in 2000.
After 24 years of development, FOCAC has become a well-established mechanism. Each forum concludes with the release of a "Declaration" and an "Action Plan", reaffirming the strategic consensus between China and Africa and outlining cooperation priorities for the next three years.
From infrastructure connectivity to deepened trade and investment ties, from widespread poverty alleviation projects to enhanced technological and cultural exchanges, China-Africa cooperation continues to leave strong and enduring footprints.
As China advances high-quality development and further opens up to the world, and as the African Union prepares to launch the second ten-year implementation plan of its Agenda 2063, the China-Africa partnership is set to deepen. Under the vision of building a closer China-Africa community with a shared future, the story of China-Africa cooperation in this new era will continue.
Source | Lingnan on the Cloud
