China a true partner of Africa: Tanzanian President

Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan 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) -- China is a true partner of African countries in their fight against poverty and in pursuing prosperity, Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan said here on Thursday.

Hassan made the remarks at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).

Hassan voiced appreciation of Chinese President Xi Jinping's proposal to elevate the overall characterization of China-Africa relations and the announcement of implementing 10 partnership action plans to jointly advance modernization at the summit.

These partnership actions will support China and Africa in strengthening cooperation in various fields and advancing modernization together, Hassan said.

In recent years, African countries have witnessed a significant increase in trade and investment between the two sides, the Tanzanian president said.

"China's imprints are evident and vivid in infrastructure improvement, rapid industrialization and all progress in small and medium-sized enterprises in our countries," she said, noting that Tanzania stands ready to showcase China-Africa socio-economic innovations.

During his first visit to Africa as president in 2013, Xi put forward the principles of "sincerity, real results, amity and good faith" in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, which have become the guiding principles for China's cooperation with African countries, Hassan said.

"Our presence here today reflects the solidarity and commitment to building a shared future of progress and prosperity," she said, calling on African countries to work with China towards fruitful socio-economic innovations and development.

Reflecting on the future development of China-Africa relations, Hassan quoted Xi as saying that "the development of China-Africa ties can only be in present continuous tense, and never in present perfect tense."