China and Africa look forward to a new chapter in building a community with a shared future

CGTN: Joint pursuit of modernization: China and Africa aim for a new chapter in building a community with a shared future

BEIJING , Sept. 6, 2024 / — The 1,860-kilometer-long Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) railway from Dar es Salaam in Tanzania to New Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia serves as a reminder of the long-standing relationship between China and Tanzania .

Over its 48 years of operation, the railway has transported more than 30 million tonnes of freight and carried over 40 million passengers, becoming a vital artery ensuring the economic functioning and development of Tanzania , Zambia and the surrounding areas.

On Wednesday, the leaders of the three countries jointly witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on the TAZARA Railway Revitalization Project, aimed at further enhancing the intermodal rail-sea transport network in East Africa.

In the new era, China has continued to provide new opportunities for African countries and has remained committed to the general direction of mutual trust, mutual benefit, mutual learning and mutual assistance in the growth of China -Africa relations .

Delivering a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Forum on China -Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Summit on Thursday, Chinese President Xi Jinping praised that China and Africa are becoming stronger and more resilient together, bringing tangible benefits to Chinese and Africans and setting a stellar example of a new type of international relations.

Xi announced that bilateral relations between China and all African countries that have diplomatic ties with China have been upgraded to the level of strategic relations, and the overall characterization of China -Africa relations has been elevated to an all-weather China -Africa community with a shared future for the new era.

Flourishing cooperation between China and Africa

Since its establishment in 2000, FOCAC has continuously promoted the advancement of China -Africa relations, setting an excellent example of South-South cooperation and international cooperation with Africa.

In the past 24 years, practical cooperation between China and Africa has produced fruitful results and exchanges in various fields have been unprecedentedly active.

The trade volume between China and Africa has increased from US$10.5 billion in 2000 to US$282.1 billion in 2023, an increase of nearly 26 times. By the end of 2023, China ‘s direct investment volume in Africa had exceeded US$40 billion.

Meanwhile, the two sides have cooperated to build and upgrade nearly 100,000 kilometers of roads, more than 10,000 kilometers of railways, nearly 1,000 bridges and 100 ports. The African Union Commission and 52 African countries signed documents with China on Belt and Road cooperation.

With the help of China , the construction of several roads, bridges and ports has promoted connectivity across the African continent. For example, the Mombasa-Nairobi standard gauge railway has significantly reduced transport costs and travel times, boosting trade. The Addis Ababa-Djibouti railway connects landlocked Ethiopia to the port of Djibouti, allowing for greater access to international markets.

In a bid to deepen China -Africa cooperation and lead the modernization of the Global South, Xi said China stands ready to work with Africa to implement ten partnership action plans in the next three years, covering the areas of mutual learning among civilizations, trade prosperity, industrial chain cooperation, connectivity, development cooperation, health, agriculture and livelihood, cultural and people-to-people exchanges, green development and common security.

China will expand market access for African agricultural products, push forward the pilot zone for in-depth economic and trade cooperation between China and Africa, and carry out 30 infrastructure connectivity projects in Africa, he said.

He added that China will send 2,000 medical professionals to Africa, launch 20 programs on health facilities and malaria treatment, and send 500 agricultural experts to strengthen health and agricultural capacities in African countries.

A shared path to modernization

In the new era, China and Africa are committed to building a closer community with a shared future and becoming travelling companions in exploring the path to modernization.

China has helped Africa solve development problems such as infrastructure lag, food shortages and talent shortages, while its entry into Africa has also brought opportunities for Chinese companies to expand their overseas markets.

For example, in Tanzania ’s coastal region , the Chinese-invested Sapphire float glass factory serves the local market and exports float glass to six other African countries. Opened in September 2023, the project was expected to generate up to 1,650 direct jobs and 6,000 indirect jobs once full production capacity was reached. The factory has created 1,012 direct jobs for residents and 3,857 indirect jobs.

In the field of agriculture, China has established 24 agricultural technology demonstration centers in Africa over the past decade and introduced more than 300 advanced agricultural technologies, increasing local crop yields by an average of 30 to 60 percent and benefiting more than one million farmers across the continent.

Currently, more than 200 Chinese companies continue to invest in Africa’s agricultural sector, with an accumulated investment volume exceeding US$1 billion. These investments cover various areas, including agricultural supplies and machinery, farming, processing and sales.

“On the road to modernization, no one and no country should be left behind,” Xi said at the opening ceremony of the FOCAC 2024 summit, calling for jointly advancing modernization that is fair and equitable, open and mutually beneficial, puts people first, features diversity and inclusiveness, is environmentally friendly, and underpinned by peace and security.

The joint pursuit of modernization by China and Africa will trigger a wave of modernization in the Global South and open a new chapter on our path toward a community with a shared future for mankind, he said.

asianewstoday.com

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