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Sino-African Ties See Bright Prospects in New Century: FM
Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan has painted a rosy picture for the development of Sino-African relations in the 21st century, characterized by "sincere friendship, equality, unity and cooperation, and common development."
"These are the core of the proposals on developing long-term and cooperative Sino-African relations in an all-round manner made by Chinese President Jiang Zemin in his 1996 Africa trip, reflecting the characteristics of Sino-African relations and envisaging broad prospects of such relations in the future," Tang said in a recent interview with Xinhua.
Now Sino-African ties will get a boost with the convening of the China-Africa Cooperation Forum, a ministerial-level meeting scheduled for October 10-12 in Beijing.
The forum will provide a golden opportunity for China and African countries to discuss ways for further cooperation.
Tang, one of the two honorary presidents of the event, said that this is an important step and meaningful initiative taken by the Chinese government to consolidate and strengthen Sino-African friendship and cooperation at the start of the new millennium.
"China is willing to work with African countries in exploring new ways to establish a new partnership featured by stability, equality and mutual benefit within the framework of south-to-south cooperation," Tang said.
The forum will focus on two topics -- how to push ahead with the establishment of a new international political and economic order of fairness and justice in the new century, and how to promote Sino-African economic and trade cooperation.
China and African countries are expected to summarize cooperation experience in the areas of politics, the economy, social development, and put forth guidelines and concrete plans for future cooperation, according to the minister.
Moreover, two documents will be published -- the Beijing Declaration and the Sino-African Cooperation Guidelines for Economy and Social Development, to reflect the views of the two sides on major international issues and their stance on establishing a new international order, he said.
So far, China's top leaders, including President Jiang Zemin and Chairman Li Peng of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, have visited the African continent.
Vice-Premier Qian Qichen maintains a tradition of choosing African nations as the first destination of his foreign visit since he became foreign minister in 1988.
"Promotion unity and cooperation between China and African countries and other developing countries has long been the basic foothold and important strategic reliance of China's independent foreign policy of peace," Tang said. "This can not be affected by changes in time and their respective situations."
Sino-African friendship and cooperation initiated and fostered by the Chinese leadership of elder generation and pioneers of the African national liberation movement has been deeply rooted on the basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful Co-existence, and stood the test of the changing international situation and their respective changes, he said.
Tang went on to say that traditional friendly and cooperative Sino-African relations are characterized by mutual respect, adherence to the principles of sovereign independence and non-interference in each other's internal affairs, respect for each other's choice for social systems, equality and mutual benefit.
The relations are also characterized by economic and trade cooperation in various forms attached with no political conditions, mutual trust, the settlement of bilateral affairs in an honest and friendly manner, and mutual support in international and regional affairs for safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries.
"The further development of Sino-African friendship and cooperation is in the fundamental interest of China and African countries, and the common aspiration of both sides," he said.
"Under the new circumstances, bilateral cooperation is facing some new opportunities," he said, adding that China and African countries are developing countries facing the same task of development, and have shared interests on wide-ranging international issues.
China and African countries need to work closely to push forward the establishment of a new international political and economic order of fairness and justice, in a bid to better deal with the challenges posed by economic globalization and safeguard their own rights and interests, Tang said.
"Undoubtedly, the two sides can establish a long-term and even more vigorous new partnership based on the solid foundation laid in the past," he said.
Tang suggested that the two sides should increase communication and exchanges between their leaders of new generation to consolidate their traditional friendship.
They also should set up various forms of consultation mechanism, expand dialog and coordination in international and bilateral affairs for more effective cooperation in multilateral and bilateral areas to better safeguard the interests of developing countries.
At the same time, the two sides should explore new ways and areas of economic and trade cooperation and encourage their enterprises to expand cooperation, while promoting exchanges between their political parties, parliaments and non-governmental organizations.
According to the foreign minister, the scope and level of cooperation between China and African countries is outdated. "We need to promote mutual understanding and enrich bilateral cooperation," he said.
China has provided help as much as it can for the national liberation and economic development of African countries over the past years, Tang said.
As a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, China will continue to uphold justice in international affairs and support reasonable proposals of African countries.
China will also continue providing economic assistance as much as it can to African countries, while engaging in various forms of economic and trade cooperation with them on the basis of equality and mutual benefit for common progress and development, he said.
According to Tang, China and African countries are both important parts of developing countries and important forces in promoting world peace and development.
The establishment of a new partnership between them will therefore serve to promote south-to-south cooperation, safeguard the rights and interests of developing countries, and also benefit world peace and stability, and the development and progress of mankind, he said.
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