Germany, France seek cooperation with China in aiding Africa, economic ties: media

Workers work on the construction site of the China-aided future headquarters of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, June 2, 2021. (Xinhua/Michael Tewelde)

Macron said France is ready to strengthen coordination with China on financing and education issues in Africa, while Merkel said Germany will actively look into the possibility of joining the initiative, Nikkei Asia reported.

TOKYO, July 8 (Xinhua) -- Germany and France look forward to strengthening coordination with China in aiding Africa, and share great potential in economic ties with the Asian country, Nikkei Asia has reported.

In an analytical commentary entitled "China floats 'Africa Quad' with Germany and France," Nikkei Asia reported about the online summit held between China, Germany and France on Monday.

The idea of quadrilateral cooperation on Africa, an "Africa Quad," came in the form of an invitation to German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron to join the Initiative on Partnership for Africa's Development, the Japanese news website reported Wednesday.

South African tourist guides sing a Chinese song at the graduation ceremony for a Mandarin training program offered by the University of Johannesburg-Nanjing Technology University Confucius Institute in Pretoria, South Africa, March 18, 2021. (Xinhua/Chen Cheng)

Macron said France is ready to strengthen coordination with China on financing and education issues in Africa, while Merkel said Germany will actively look into the possibility of joining the initiative, Nikkei Asia reported.

The Elysee Palace said France and Germany welcomed China's commitment to contributing "to the restructuring of the debt of vulnerable countries" and noted that "it is now urgent to implement this initiative," it reported.

They also called the development of pharmaceutical production capacities in Africa a "priority."

Nikkei Asia also pointed out that Germany and France have strong economic ties with China.

The East Asian nation is Germany's largest trading partner and accounts for roughly 40 percent of Volkswagen's sales by volume, and is also a key market for French luxury brands and food, it said.