Cooperation between China and Africa is likely to reach higher
levels in the next century, with the two sides having established a
solid foundation in various areas during the past decades.
Yang Lihua, a senior Chinese researcher from the Institute of
West-Asian and African Studies (IWAAS) of the Chinese Academy of
Social Sciences, said that she is quite optimistic about the future
of Sino-African ties.
In
an exclusive interview with Xinhua, Yang noted that this year marks
an important step in the relations between China and Africa, saying
that many activities will take place to push forward the
relationship, especially "the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation --
Ministerial Conference Beijing 2000".
Yang said that her optimism is based on the deep-rooted traditional
friendship between China and countries in the African
continent.
Contact between China and African countries can be traced back to
the 10th century BC., Yang noted, adding that it was at this time
that China and Egypt began trading.
Around the 2nd century BC., China and Egypt set up official
relations by sending envoys to each other, according to Yang, who
is also the deputy director of the IWAAS.
Afterwards, China and Africa began to communicate through the
landway, starting from the west of China to west Asia and all the
way to north Africa, she said.
The great west sailing by Zheng He of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644)
served as an important impetus to marine trade between China and
east-African countries, the Chinese expert said, adding that it
also facilitated the increase of cultural exchange between the two
sides.
The advanced culture of Egypt was transmitted to China and China's
great four inventions were spread to Egypt and then to north Africa
and Europe, Yang noted, saying that the cultural exchange promoted
cultural mingling among Asia, Africa and Europe.
Regarding the first phase in Sino-African relations, Yang said that
"although China was a big power at that time in the world, the
contacts and exchanges between China and Africa were equal,
peaceful, and friendly." When western colonists began to invade
Asia and Africa in the 15th century, the political, economic, and
cultural contacts between China and African countries were
seriously affected, Yang noted.
The sea-route from the Indian Ocean through the Mediterranean to
Africa was seized and monopolized by Western powers, and as a
result, the official relationship between China and Africa was
suspended, she said.
The friendly contacts between China and Africa in early stages
enhanced mutual understanding and friendship and laid a solid
foundation for the development of bilateral ties later on, Yang
commented.
Sino-African relations began its all-round development after the
People's Republic of China (PRC) was founded in 1949. The PRC
carries out an independent foreign policy of peace.
Cooperation between China and Africa continued to expand with the
process of the independence and national liberation of the African
countries, Yang said.
The two sides supported each other politically and joined hands in
opposing imperialism and colonists, she noted, adding that China
offered help to newly-independent African countries.
When China started its reform and opening up policy over twenty
years ago, African countries also experienced 20 or 30 years of
development after their independence, and both sides began to put
more emphasis on economic development.
Both China and African countries hope to further strengthen
mutually-beneficial economic cooperation and raise economic and
trade relations to a higher position in bilateral relations, the
Chinese expert said.
The new international situation also prompted China and African
countries to enhance their cooperation within the South-South
cooperation framework. Both sides also need to strengthen
cooperation in establishing a just and reasonable new
international, political and economic order, she noted.
The two sides have a lot in common concerning the new order and the
consensus served as an important basis for the furthering of
Sino-African relations, Yang said.
African countries proposed to cut or dismiss their debts to
developed countries, to incorporate development into globalization,
to have increased market share in developed countries and to change
the unequal and unreasonable trade conditions, all of which are
supported by China.
African countries also expect China, the biggest developing country
and a permanent member of the Security Council of the United
Nations, to uphold justice and speak out for developing
countries.
They also expect to strengthen consultations with China in order to
raise the position of the developing countries as a whole in
international affairs.
Yang said that she is confident that China and African countries
will continue to strengthen political consultations, enhance
economic contacts and expand exchange in culture, education,
science and technology in the new century.
(Xinhua 10/03/2000)