2006/10/23

I. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the inauguration of diplomatic relations between New China and African countries. How do you view the growth of China's relations with Africa?

Despite the long distance between China and Africa, their friendly exchanges have a long history. The founding of New China in 1949 ushered in a new era in China-Africa relations. In May 1956, diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level were established between China and the Arab Republic of Egypt, inaugurating China's diplomatic relations with African countries and marking a new stage of China-Africa relations. Since then, many African countries have established diplomatic relations with China as they gained independence. China now has diplomatic ties with 48 African countries.

Over the past fifty years, the Chinese and African peoples have shared weal and woe, sympathized with and supported each other. China stood firmly with the African people and provided them with moral support and material assistance in their strenuous struggle to overthrow colonial rule and gain national liberation. Since African countries won independence, China has continued to support them in upholding sovereignty, safeguarding independence and promoting economic development. By doing so, China has contributed to Africa's political stability and socio-economic development.

African countries have also offered valuable support to China. Our African friends played an important role in restoring the lawful seat of the People's Republic of China in the United Nations. They gave China strong support in foiling anti-China motions introduced by some Western countries at the UN Human Rights Commission. The vast majority of African countries adhere to the one China principle and support China's reunification. They have helped China defeat many attempts by Taiwan to "participate in the United Nations" and squeeze its way into the World Health Organisation and other international bodies. They also supported China in its bid to host the 2008 Olympics and the 2010 World Expo.

In recent years, thanks to the joint efforts of the two sides, China-Africa relations have, building on traditional friendship, made new progress, which finds expression in enhanced political relations and closer cooperation in economy, trade, culture, education, and other fields. As this year is of special commemorative significance for the two sides, the Chinese and African leaders have agreed to work together to lift China-Africa relations to a new level. To this end, the Chinese Government issued early this year China's African Policy, calling for a new type of strategic partnership between China and Africa. This has received warm response from the African countries. In April and June this year, President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao visited Africa respectively. On 3-5 November, the two sides will hold the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and its third Ministerial Conference. Several dozen African leaders will meet in Beijing for the Summit and exchange views with Chinese leaders on enhancing future cooperation.

I wish to point out in particular that, despite the profound changes both in the international environment and in China and Africa in the past half century, China-Africa friendship has stood the test of time, gained in strength and is thriving with vigour and vitality. The fundamental reason behind this is that the two sides have always treated each other with sincerity and as equals, and pursued mutual benefit, solidarity, cooperation and common development. This is the valuable asset fifty years of China-Africa friendly relations have left us and it will continue to drive the strong and long-term growth of China-Africa relations.

II. You mentioned China's African Policy issued by the Chinese Government. What is the basic thrust of China's policy towards Africa?

China's African Policy is the first policy paper on a continent issued by the Chinese Government. It shows our resolve to enhance China-Africa solidarity and cooperation in the new international environment. The thrust of the paper is the fostering of a new type of China-Africa strategic partnership featuring political equality and mutual trust, economic win-win cooperation and cultural exchanges and enrichment. Specifically, it has three essential elements:

Politically, China and Africa should be strategic partners that trust and support each other. The two sides should maintain high-level exchanges and dialogue and enhance people-to-people exchanges in diversified forms to boost popular support for China-Africa friendship. They should be guided by the principle of treating each other as equals and of mutual non-interference in internal affairs, and respect each other's independent choice of road of development. In international affairs, the two sides should strengthen coordination and cooperation to jointly promote democracy in international relations and uphold the lawful rights and interests of developing countries.

Economically, China and Africa should be partners of cooperation and should draw on each other's strength to work for mutual benefit. They should work together to enhance South-South cooperation and North-South dialogue and work for economic globalisation to develop in a way that brings balanced, general and win-win benefits to all. They should promote economic cooperation in diversified forms to increase trade volume and improve trade structure. The Chinese Government will implement in good faith the five measures to help other developing countries accelerate their development announced by President Hu Jintao at the High-level Meeting on Financing for Development during last year's UN World Summit. China will continue to encourage and assist Chinese companies to invest in Africa. And we also warmly welcome African companies doing business in China.

Culturally, China and Africa should be partners in advancing human civilisation and building a harmonious world. We should exchange experience on governance and respect cultural diversity. And we should promote tolerance, dialogue and equality among different civilisations so that they will draw on each other's strength and enjoy common prosperity. China and Africa should learn from each other through enhanced cultural exchanges.

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