China-Africa partnership main pillar of South-South cooperation: UN chief

United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres addresses the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 5, 2024. The 2024 Summit of the FOCAC opened here on Thursday. (Xinhua/Yan Yan)

BEIJING, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said here Thursday that China's partnership with Africa is the main pillar of South-South cooperation.

"China's partnership with the African continent is the main pillar of South-South cooperation," said Guterres while addressing the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) held here in Beijing. "Your joint efforts, based on the United Nations Charter, can create a new momentum for African development."

Guterres highlighted the partnership actions for modernization that were announced Thursday by Chinese President Xi Jinping.

As a longstanding and the largest trading partner of Africa, "China's remarkable record of development -- including on eradicating poverty -- provides a wealth of experience and expertise" to the African continent, he said.

China-Africa partnership can "drive the renewable energy revolution," and be "a catalyst for key transitions in food systems and digital connectivity," said Guterres, noting that Africa can maximize the potential of China's support in areas from trade to data management, finance and technology.

Guterres also supported President Xi's decision to launch the Global Development Initiative that is aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals, as well as the focus on green development and promoting integrity-based cooperation.

"You can count on the full engagement of the United Nations in support of a strong China-Africa partnership, towards our shared goal of peace, sustainable development and human rights on a healthy planet," he said.