Xi's keynote speech draws new blueprint for China-Africa cooperation

Chinese President Xi Jinping delivers a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the Eighth Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) via video link in Beijing, capital of China, Nov. 29, 2021. (Xinhua/Liu Bin)

BEIJING, Dec. 1 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping's keynote speech at a Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) meeting on Monday has shed light on the experience of the development of China-Africa ties, and has drawn a new blueprint for China-Africa cooperation, according to analysts.

Addressing the opening ceremony of the Eighth Ministerial Conference of the FOCAC on Monday, Xi hailed the spirit of China-Africa friendship and cooperation, and announced a series of major measures and pledges for furthering ties, with nine cooperative programs included, injecting strong impetus into the building of a high-level China-Africa community with a shared future.

The China-Africa relationship is at its best in history, said Li Xinfeng, executive vice president of the China-Africa Institute, lauding FOCAC as a pacesetter in international cooperation with African countries, with emphasis on implementation as its salient feature.

The heads-of-state diplomacy has played a crucial role in the high-level political mutual trust and profound friendship between the two sides, Li said.

Photo taken on Jan. 14, 2021 shows the office building of China-Egypt TEDA Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone in Ain Sokhna, Egypt. (Xinhua/Wu Huiwo)

"Especially since 2013, the frequency of high-level exchanges between China and Africa has been unprecedented," he said.

The nine cooperative programs in the next three years announced by Xi cover medical and health, poverty reduction and agricultural development, trade promotion, investment promotion, digital innovation, green development, capacity building, cultural and people-to-people exchange as well as peace and security.

The programs fit the conditions and characteristics of the African continent and comprehensively respond to the African people's concerns, said Wang Heng, vice president of the Institute of African Studies of Zhejiang Normal University.

Analysts point out that the nine programs focus on development, which holds the master key to solving all problems, and will inject new impetus into China-Africa cooperation.

Students watch satellite television via projector provided by Chinese media company StarTimes under a China-funded project at a school on the outskirts of Dakar, Senegal, Nov. 22, 2021. (Xinhua/Li Yan)

After listening to Xi's speech, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres praised China's role in Africa's development. "It is clear to me that our efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals will only succeed if Africa succeeds," he said.

In his speech, Xi announced a range of anti-pandemic assistance efforts for Africa, including the provision of another 1 billion doses of vaccines to African countries, which epitomizes the idea of China-Africa community with a shared future, according to Li.

The China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era will set an excellent example for the building of a community with a shared future for humanity, the experts said.