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Commentary: Constructing China-Africa Ties for the New Century
The Forum on China-Africa Cooperation -- Ministerial Conference Beijing 2000 ended Thursday after the adoption of Beijing Declaration and Program for China-Africa Cooperation in Economic and Social Development.
The forum, a pioneering undertaking for China and African countries to conduct a collective dialogue on the basis of equality and mutual benefit and seek common development, will go down in history as an important milestone in relations between China and Africa.
During the three days of the forum, Chinese President Jiang Zemin, other Chinese leaders and personages from social circles of China held fruitful dialogues, unprecedented in volume, with four African state presidents, nearly 80 African ministers, and representatives from some 20 international and regional organizations on two major themes -- the establishment of a new international political and economic order and cooperation between China and Africa.
Jiang's views on a new international order and his four-point proposal in this regard won warm support and appreciation from all participants of the forum. They said Jiang's views and proposal envisage a bright future and draw up a blueprint for the deepening of China-Africa cooperation in the new century.
Participants realized that only with the establishment of a fair and just new international political and economic order, can the democratization of international relations become a reality to allow developing countries effectively participate in making decisions on international affairs.
They called for solidarity among developing countries and common action to seek a new international order and challenge mechanisms and organizations that stand in the way of the formation of a new international order.
To push forward China-Africa cooperation in economic and social development, the Chinese government pledged at the forum to continue to provide assistance to African countries within its means, to reduce or exempt debts worth 10 billion RMB yuan (1.2 billion U.S. dollars) owed by African countries, to set up a special fund to encourage and support well-established Chinese enterprises to invest in Africa, and to establish an African human resources development fund to train more professionals for the economic development of Africa.
The solemn promises of China were warmly welcomed by African countries.
Cameroon minister of state for foreign relations, Augustin Kouomegni, said slave trade and colonialism put Africa in an inferior position in the international community. Africa is facing the increasing risk of being marginalized in the process of globalization. China, for a long time, has given valuable assistance to Africa and Africa is grateful for that, he said.
Rwandan Foreign Minister Andre Bumaya said his country is grateful to China for its all-weather support for Africa. The forum would give fresh impetus to the development of Africa-China relations, he said. The minister called for the international community to take concrete measures in terms of debt relief for Africa.
Secretary-general of the Organization of African Unity, Salim Ahmed Salim, said China and Africa should establish a new partnership to make full use of the opportunities brought about by globalization. He said the forum, an unprecedented event, is of great significance. The fact that so many African heads of state and ministers came to the forum is a sign of good prospects of future cooperation between China and Africa, he said.
As mankind enters a new century and a new millennium, both China and Africa are provided with opportunities for better development and at the same time face unprecedented challenges. Both Chinese and African peoples treasure independence, love peace and hunger for development. They are important forces to maintain world peace and promote common development of mankind. History has shown and the future will demonstrate that closer relations between China and Africa not only serve the best interests of both sides but also accord with the global trend of peace and development.
As an old Chinese saying goes: "Distance cannot keep true friends away," China-Africa cooperation is long-term and strategic. The establishment of China-Africa partnership within the framework of South-South cooperation and the deepening of all-round, effective cooperation between China and African countries on the basis of equality, mutual benefit and common development, will contribute to the establishment of a new international political and economic order.
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