With the theme "Joining Hands to Advance Modernization and Build a High-Level China-Africa Community with a Shared Future," the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) came to a close on September 6 in Beijing. This is the second time Beijing has held the Summit, making it the largest diplomatic event in China this year.
(Photo: Xinhua)
More than 50 African countries and the African Union came to Beijing to discuss the path to modernization.
On Thursday (September 5), China announced that the overall characterization of China-Africa relations would be elevated to an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era. The country will work with Africa to implement 10 partnership action plans to jointly advance modernization over the next three years.
During the press conference held on September 5, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi stressed that the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation was a complete success.
"There is no global modernization without Africa's modernization, and China will continue to support Africa in all aspects to realize modernization," said Wang.
During the Summit, GDToday interviewed entrepreneurs and journalists from Africa and found that they highly appreciate the relationship with China, despite accusations of "debt trap" or "neocolonialism" from the West. In particular, China's proposal on realizing modernization with Africa also resonated with them.
China supports Africa's modernization through actions
On September 5, a declaration on jointly building an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era and an action plan of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation for the next three years was adopted at the 2024 FOCAC summit in Beijing.
According to the declaration, infrastructure remains a key part of China-Africa cooperation. In recent years, China's contractors have built over 100,000 kilometers of expressway, as well as 10,000 kilometers of railway in Africa. Moreover, the power stations and dams built by Chinese companies have eased the power shortage for African people.
"Modernization of the world is a very important key thing," said Dehpue Yenpea Zuo, Liberia's Deputy Finance Minister for Economic Management. In his opinion, infrastructure is the major thing for Africa to realize modernization.
Liberian journalist Francis D.N. Pelenah Jr. shared the same thought with GDToday, saying, "The issue of road has been an age-old problem in my country. That's why our new president has made it his priority to connect all the regional county capitals to roads. Maybe China's involvement could take it further from roads to rail."
In addition, China will grant duty-free treatment to 100% of the tariff lines of products from the least developed countries (LDCs) with diplomatic ties with China. Furthermore, China will offer 60,000 training opportunities to Africa, with priorities given to programs for women's empowerment and youth development.
China has been the first trading partner with Africa in the past 15 years, and Chinese companies have created more than 1.1 million jobs in the past 3 years.
Many African entrepreneurs indicated that the new policies will provide a new opportunity for them to promote their business with China.
Anthony Kabaghe, President of the Zambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry, told GDToday that the new policies are good for Africa to collaborate with Chinese companies, especially in the private sector for mutual benefit.
Francis D.N. Pelenah Jr. indicated that the Chinese normally say that they will not give you the fish, but instead, they will teach you how to fish for yourself.
In an exclusive interview with GDToday, Judyth Nsababera, Consul General of Uganda in Guangzhou, introduced a Chinese entrepreneur from Dongguan in Guangdong Province who found new opportunities and set up a company in Uganda.
"There are already 300 local workers, and the company is now on a normal track. The products are on sale, and customers have responded very well."
Nsababera told GDToday that the entrepreneur's initiative not only created jobs but also brought technological expertise and cultural exchange, with daily Tai Chi sessions for his employees.
"China is still committed to developing relationships in Africa, in terms of economic growth and modernization. We have seen this for the last 4 years. We know that Africa has a lot to gain from China," said Mouhamadou Diop, CEO of Petrosen from the Senegalese delegation.
"Most importantly, China provides a model for African countries to develop in their own characteristics," said Robert Okwiri Nagila, a Kenyan journalist.
China is the real friend of Africa
"China is the real friend of Africa" is the most common answer that GDToday has heard at the news center of the Summit.
"China is actually a true brother. It is more based on mutual respect and trust," said Brian Sokutu, a journalist from South Africa. He added that Western countries always "educate" other countries on what they need to do and force them to accept the "education" with strings attached.
"But China comes as a brother to Africa," he stressed.
At the press conference, the Chinese foreign minister said that the friendship between China and Africa is based on mutual respect. He believes that the forum on China-Africa cooperation will not only be an important sign of China-Africa friendship but also an example to lead other countries to launch cooperation with Africa.
"Firstly, China will not intervene in the internal affairs of African countries and will support Africa's development without strings attached. Secondly, China will help African countries improve their self-development ability. Thirdly, China will not implement geopolitics and will oppose other countries manipulating rival factions in Africa," Wang stressed.
Wang also took the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) railway as an example to illustrate the friendship between the two regions, saying, "50,000 Chinese workers went to Africa and built the railway. Yesterday (September 4), China, Tanzania, and Zambia signed a memorandum of understanding on the revitalization project of the Tazara Railway, which is in memory of the contributions of the senior fellows, as well as to encourage us to keep refreshing the path of friendship."
Frederick Mutesa, secretary general of the Zambia-China Friendship Association, denounced the claims of "debt trap" and "neo-colonialism" in reference to China-Africa cooperation from Western media.
"China has never been a colonial power. Rather, it, like African countries, has been a victim of imperialist invasion, oppression, and exploitation. This makes China a natural ally of African countries because it understands what it means to suffer at the hands of external forces," Mutesa said.
"I like China's policy of non-interference in other countries. This will give us a chance to develop at our own pace," said Bryan Otieno, a journalist from Kenya.
Ugandan journalist Adrian Bwanika told GDToday that he feels pleased to visit China every time because China is the best friend for African countries to learn from, especially since China shares a common history and hard times with Africa and has now grown as the second-largest economy in the world.
"My understanding of promoting a community of shared future is that as China goes up, it wants other smaller countries to also grow with it," said Francis D.N. Pelenah Jr.
Reporter | Steven Yuen, Lydia Liu, Xachary Tse, Ling Xi (Nanfang Daily), Duan Jianghan (Nanfang Daily), Wu Binbin (Nanfang Daily)
Photo | Wingheng Deng, Steven Yuen
Video | Wingheng Deng
Editor | Monica, Will, James
