FOCAC key to strengthening China-Africa ties: experts

KIGALI, Nov. 15 (Xinhua) -- The Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) has played a crucial role in advancing China-Africa relations and promoting mutual development, experts and scholars said Thursday during a virtual forum titled "24 Years of FOCAC: The Impact on China-Africa Cooperation."

The virtual seminar, organized by the Africa China Review, a Rwanda-based publication focusing on Africa-China cooperation, in partnership with the Chinese Embassy in Rwanda, attracted experts, academics, researchers and professionals from the private sector and media in China and Africa to discuss the importance of FOCAC in strengthening China-Africa cooperation.

Mushahid Hussain, chairman of the Pakistan-China Institute and president of the Pakistan-Africa Institute for Development and Research, said that China's approach to Africa is based on peaceful development, win-win cooperation, and inclusivity, particularly through the Belt and Road Initiative, which he called "the most important global initiative for diplomacy and development in the 21st century."

He said that connectivity, cooperation and shared prosperity are central to China-Africa relations.

"It is not an exclusive approach, nor a zero-sum game where one side wins and the other loses. It is about connectivity and cooperation, which represent the path forward," he said. He added that Chinese modernization exemplifies peaceful development, socialist modernization and harmony with nature, contrasting it with Western approaches that often rely on control and coercion.

"We stand on the side of principles, progress, prosperity and solidarity with China in building a better tomorrow for the Global South, for Africa, and for regions such as Asia and Pakistan," Hussain said, stressing the importance of China-Africa relations in shaping a prosperous future.

Wang Wen, executive dean of the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies at Renmin University of China, underpinned the significance of FOCAC, a cooperation mechanism created 24 years ago.

"This forum has played a major role not only in promoting development between China and Africa but also in making a meaningful impact on world history," he said, describing FOCAC as a platform that fosters historical progress, sustains cooperation and strengthens prospects for the future.

Ismael Buchanan, senior lecturer in political science and international relations at the University of Rwanda, said that China has supported African students with scholarship programs, enabling them to study at Chinese universities.

"China has invested heavily in promoting educational exchange, research, and technology transfer in higher learning institutions, boosting knowledge and learning among African scholars," he said.

Charles Onunaiju, director of the Center for China Studies in Abuja, Nigeria, commended China's contributions through FOCAC and stressed the importance of maintaining a strategic relationship.

"China has supported Africa in achieving connectivity through the Belt and Road Initiative, addressing the connectivity gap that has challenged Africa for many years," he said, stressing the need to build strategic resilience and capacity for a strong, mutually beneficial partnership between China and Africa.

Chinese Ambassador to Rwanda Wang Xuekun said that FOCAC has injected tremendous momentum into China-Africa cooperation over the past 24 years.

"FOCAC has made outstanding contributions to China-Africa relations and common development, benefiting hundreds of millions of people and setting an example in international cooperation with Africa," he said. Wang added that China is committed to working with Rwanda and other African nations to implement FOCAC's outcomes and advance modernization across China and Africa, impacting a combined population of more than 2.8 billion.

Mahdi Gulaid, former deputy prime minister of Somalia, said that in 24 years, FOCAC has transformed China-Africa relations, elevating Africa's development to new heights.

"The partnership is not just economic but deeply rooted in mutual respect and the pursuit of common goals. African leaders, media, and the broader public describe China-Africa cooperation as 'win-win,' with FOCAC bringing infrastructure development, healthcare, and digital progress across the continent," he added.

Gulaid said that the collaboration has been instrumental in realizing Africa's Agenda 2063, bringing Africa closer to its goal of a sustainable and self-reliant future.

Adhere Cavince, a Kenyan expert on China-Africa development cooperation, said that China has become a vital partner in development cooperation with Africa and underscored the importance of both regions working together on cross-border projects to accelerate economic development across the continent.

Since its inception in 2000, FOCAC has provided a platform for high-level political coordination between African countries and China, fostering economic cooperation and sustainable development. Over the past 15 years, China has remained Africa's largest trading partner, with trade volume reaching a record 282.1 billion U.S. dollars in 2023 and projected to surpass 300 billion dollars by 2035.