China a reliable partner of Africa in shared pursuit of modernization

BEIJING, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- As the African proverb says, "If you want to go fast, walk alone; if you want to go far, walk together."

In the same vein, as China and Africa both pursue modernization, enhancing practical cooperation by aligning their development strategies will benefit both sides and the world at large.

Addressing the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Beijing, Chinese President Xi Jinping called for joint efforts to advance modernization that is fair, open, inclusive, people-centered, eco-friendly, diverse and underpinned by peace and security.

Over the years, China-Africa cooperation has expanded across various sectors, from infrastructure and agriculture to industrialization and green energy, highlighting their strong complementarity and enormous potential.

China has helped Africa build and upgrade more than 10,000 km of railways, approximately 100,000 km of roads, around 1,000 bridges and nearly 100 ports, and improved power supply and communication networks for many countries in the continent.

Successful cooperation also includes China's transfer of skills and knowledge to local employees in Africa, perfectly exemplifying the saying: It's better to teach people to fish than to give them fish.

Over the past decade, China has established a batch of agricultural technology demonstration centers in Africa and promoted hundreds of advanced agricultural technologies, with more assistance planned in the future. Through technical assistance, China has helped African countries boost agricultural output, enhance the value of agricultural products, and advance the modernization of agriculture, thereby contributing to poverty reduction.

Africa's abundant natural resources provide great potential for industrialization, but energy shortages pose a significant constraint in this process. China understands Africa's needs for expertise in green technology, and reaches out to Africa with investment and technology.

China has built hundreds of clean energy and power grid projects in Africa to help improve local living conditions and diversify the continent's industrial economy. China-Africa partnership in renewable energy sector has enormous potential and will bring more win-win outcomes.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa hailed China's investments in Africa's infrastructure and energy sectors, noting that they have boosted economic diversification, created jobs and enhanced African integration.

Modernization is the inalienable right of all countries. Rooted in equality and mutual trust, China-Africa cooperation has dispelled the myth that modernization equals Westernization, broadening the pathways for developing countries to achieve modernization.

China and Africa, united in their past struggles for national independence, share common views and aspirations regarding the international order and global governance. As a developing country, China understands Africa's most pressing needs and has always been a reliable partner of Africa on the path to modernization. It must be reiterated that China neither pursues neo-colonialism nor seeks dominance over Africa.

Global modernization cannot be achieved without the modernization of China and Africa. As close and steadfast partners on this journey, China and Africa will continue to deepen cooperation no matter how the international landscape evolves.