Johannesburg- The historic Forum on China-Africa Cooperation summit held in Johannesburg wrapped up on Saturday night.
And despite the massive package of programs which signal a” new era” in Africa and China relationships, China says it is firmly supports Africa's pursuit of independent sustainable development.
China’s Foreign Affairs Minister Wang Yi told a media briefing at the conclusion of the Forum on China Africa Cooperation summit held in Johannesburg that China’s relations with Africa are based on mutual winnings.
“The aim of our relations is to achieve common development and prosperity of both China and Africa,” he said adding that working together the two sides will change the face of humanity. Our relations are a pace setter for cooperation.”
Minister Wang said China’s relationship with Africa is purely based on sincerity characterised by practical results and infinity, good faith and will uphold the values of friendship justice and shared interests”.
“We will never attach our political strings to our cooperation. We will never interfere in Africa’s internal affairs. We will never ask people to do things they cannot. We will never make empty promises,” he said. Wang committing to working faithfully with Africa to implement every outcome of the Focac this summit.
These sentiments were also shared by Chinese President Xi in his closing remarks at the summit on Saturday evening. President Xi said China’s relations with Africa is “simply based on mutual understanding” and that no matter the challenges that the two sides may face in the future, they will be in solidarity.
“When people have one mind they can achieve a lot for common development,” he said noting that they relationship is based on “friendship, equality and win -win cooperation.”
Co-chair of the summit President Jacob Zuma said China’s had always been there African countries’ need.
“That solidarity has laid a firm ground for more focused, friendly and dependable development cooperation.
“This cooperation is based on the principles that underline the FOCAC partnership which are sincerity, mutual trust, equality, win-win cooperation and mutual benefit.”
The Johannesburg Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) summit saw China announcing 10 priority programmes which the Asian nation hopes will help African countries break the three development bottlenecks of backward infrastructure, talent shortage and inadequate fund, accelerate industrialization and agricultural modernization, and realize independent and sustainable development.
The ten initiatives, specifically identified for cooperation over the next three years, include industrialisation, agricultural modernisation, infrastructure, finance, green development, trade and investment facilitation, poverty eradication and people’s wellbeing, public health, people-to-people and cultural exchanges, and peace and security.
A package of capital assistance to support the ten areas to the tune of 60 billion US dollars was announced. This would be in grants, preferential and concessional loans, a China-Africa industrial cooperation fund and debt relief which include $5 billion zero interest loans, $35 billion on preferential facilities and export credit lines, concessional loans on more favourable terms; an increase of $5 billion to the China-Africa development fund and a special loan for the development of SMEs as well as a $10 billion to boost African capacities.
International Relations and Cooperation Minister Maite Nkoana Mashabane said the summit exceeded Africa’s expectations in terms of future collaborations.
“This summit has illustrated the key principles of Focac; which is relationship, mutual trust, win-win cooperation and mutual benefit,” the minister told a media briefing after the summit which was attend by 48 heads of state, 38 foreign affairs ministers as well as 24 trade ministers from Africa as well as 29 sector ministers from finance.
The number of delegates, Minister Nkoana Mashabane said, demonstrated the importance and confidence that Africa attaches to the partnership in Focac.
Minister Nkoana Mashabane said Africa was committed to see the implementation of the commitments made in the summit which she said will take the relationship to even higher heights of achievements for the benefit of all the people.-SAnews.gov.za
