Preamble
1.1 We, the ministers in charge of foreign affairs and international economic cooperation from China and 44 African countries, met in Addis Ababa, capital of Ethiopia from 15-16 December 2003 for the Second Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation.
1.2 In conformity with the principles and objectives of intensifying consultations and expanding cooperation as upheld by the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (hereinafter the "Forum"), we reviewed the progress of joint implementation by China and African countries (hereinafter the "Two Sides") of the follow-up actions of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation-Ministerial Conference Beijing 2000, held consultations on cooperation between the Two Sides in the fields listed below for the period from 2004 to 2006 and adopted unanimously this Action Plan.
1.3 We are convinced that the Action Plan will facilitate the implementation of the principles and objectives set out in the Beijing Declaration of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and the Program for China-Africa Cooperation in Economic and Social Development. We are determined to make the new China-Africa partnership a highly dynamic and effective one by working together to implement the Action Plan with concrete measures.
2. Political affairs, peace and security
2.1 High-level exchanges and political dialogue
2.1.1 We note that since the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation-Ministerial Conference Beijing 2000, the Two Sides have maintained frequent exchange of high-level visits, which has led to a high-level political dialogue and cooperation. The Forum mechanism has improved and the consultation mechanism and dialogue channels between the Two Sides are diversified with the establishment of political consultation mechanisms and joint committees on economic cooperation and trade and on science and technology between China and some African countries, laying a sound political foundation for the implementation of the follow-up actions of the Forum and development of friendly and cooperative relations between the Two Sides in different fields.
2.1.2 We recognize the importance of high-level visits and the dialogue to enhancing consultation and cooperation between the Two Sides under the new situation and agree to promote the exchange of high-level visits and meetings between our leaders, enrich the contents of such visits and political dialogues, and with regards to peace and development and other important issues, expand common ground, coordinate positions, deepen cooperation, share experiences and pursue common development.
2.1.3 We reaffirm that the principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations and the Constitutive Act of the African Union, the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence as well as other universally recognized norms governing international relations must be respected.
2.1.4 We agree to give full support to the various existing dialogue mechanisms under the overall framework of the Forum and make political dialogue more oriented towards comprehensive cooperation.
2.2 Peace and security
2.2.1 We note with satisfaction the deepening of cooperation between the Two Sides in resolving regional conflicts and other problems in Africa. We appreciate China's participation in peacekeeping operations in Africa and express the hope that in order to make this operation fulfill the mandate early, China should consider intensifying participation. In this context also and in order to strengthen the capacity of African States to undertake Peace Keeping operations, China should give consideration to support Africa in the areas of logistics.
2.2.2 We are resolved to step up cooperation and work together to support an even greater role of the United Nations, the African Union and other sub-regional African organizations in preventing, mediating and resolving conflicts in Africa. We will continue to pay attention to the issue of African refugees and displaced persons. China will continue its active participation in the peacekeeping operations and de-mining process in Africa and provide, within the limits of its capabilities, financial and material assistance as well as relevant training to the Peace and Security Council of the African Union. In order to strengthen the capacity of African States to undertake peacekeeping operations, we look forward to the strengthening of China's cooperation with African States and Sub -regional organizations in the areas of logistics.
2.3 Non-traditional security issues
2.3.1 We realize that non-traditional security issues such as terrorism, small arms trafficking, drug trafficking, illegal migration, transnational economic crimes, infectious diseases and natural disasters have become new variables affecting international and regional security, posing new challenges to international and regional peace and stability.
2.3.2 We further agree that non-traditional security issues, given their complexity and profound background, must be addressed with an integrated approach of political, economic, legal, scientific and technological means and through extensive and effective international cooperation.
2.3.3 We are determined to intensify dialogue on the way forward for our coordination and joint action in respect of new non-traditional security issues.
2.4 Terrorism
2.4.1 We agree that terrorism is a threat to peace and security of all countries and therefore must be fought through close and effective cooperation. China supports Africa's efforts to prevent and combat terrorism, including its adoption of a counter-terrorism convention and the establishment of a centre of studies and research on terrorism in Algiers.
2.4.2 We agree to further strengthen our cooperation in combating terrorism under the auspices of the United Nations and at other international fora.
3. Multilateral cooperation
3.1 Cooperation on international affairs
3.1.1 We note that consultations and cooperation between the Two Sides on international affairs are gaining momentum, which is evidenced by their common position, mutual support and joint efforts to safeguard their common interests on major issues of principle such as national sovereignty and territorial integrity, non-interference in internal affairs, peaceful settlement of disputes, peaceful coexistence, national dignity and right to development.
3.1.2 We recognize that the world is undergoing complex and profound changes with peace and development remaining the major themes of our era. Destabilizing factors against world peace and security are on the rise, while the unfair and inequitable international order has not seen fundamental changes. Economic globalization, on the other hand, has reinforced interdependence among countries and regions, while at the same time bringing more challenges than opportunities to developing countries. Under such new situations, both sides reaffirmed that it is necessary for them to step up their consultations and cooperation.
3.1.3 The Two Sides agree to strengthen their coordination and mutual support in multilateral fields. China reaffirms its position and commitment that as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, it will as always stand by the African countries at the United Nations and other international fora and support proposals and positions of the African Union.
3.1.4 We are resolved to intensify, within the framework of the Forum, consultations and substantial cooperation between the Two Sides in the UN system, the World Trade Organization and other international organizations. The Chinese side pledges to support those African countries that are not yet WTO members in their efforts to join the organization.
3.1.5 The Two Sides welcome the adoption by the UN General Assembly during its 57th session of Resolution 57/265 related to the effective and immediate establishment of the "World Solidarity Fund for the Struggle Against Poverty", and appeal to the regional and international organizations concerned to implement this resolution with a view to ensuring speedy and concrete operation of the Fund.
3.2 The forum mechanism and the AU/NEPAD
3.2.1 We note the unremitting efforts of African countries to promote their unity and revitalize their economy, particularly the general framework developed by the AU through the NEPAD process for democracy, unity, rejuvenation and development of Africa. The African side expresses its appreciation for the attention and support of China in this respect. We call upon the international community to pay greater attention to the special challenges and difficulties facing the African continent, and provide stronger support and assistance to African governments and peoples in accordance with the priorities outlined in NEPAD document.
3.2.2 The Chinese side, encouraged by the progress of the NEPAD implementation and African regional cooperation, will support and assist African countries in realizing their objectives for peace and development of the continent. China will, under the framework of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, take concrete measures to strengthen cooperation with African countries, African regional and sub-regional organizations in priority sectors identified under the NEPAD, such as infrastructure development, prevention and treatment of communicable and infectious diseases (HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis, etc.) human resources development and agriculture.
3.2.3 In order to promote and develop a mutually beneficial cooperation in all these sectors, both parties need to enhance consultation and coordination.
4. Economic development
4.1 Agriculture
4.1.1 We recognize that agricultural development is an effective approach to ensure food security, eradicate poverty and improve people's livelihood in Africa. To strengthen cooperation in agriculture, which will facilitate experience-sharing and promote Africa's economic development, is an important measure to consolidate follow-up actions to the Forum, to develop agriculture in order to strengthen the food security of Africa and to increase its exports to China and other markets.
4.1.2 We take note of the positive efforts and the experience thus accumulated by agricultural institutions of the Two Sides in developing exchanges, exploring new measures for agricultural cooperation and strengthening agro-technological cooperation and personnel training. We agree that a work plan on China-Africa agricultural cooperation for the period 2004-2006 is essential for enhanced agricultural cooperation in such areas as land and water resource management, agro-infrastructure development, farming, breeding, aquaculture, food security, exchange and transfer of applied agricultural technology, skills transfer, technical assistance, manufacturing of farm machinery and processing of farm produce.
China will continue to support and encourage strong and viable Chinese enterprises, through financial and policy incentive schemes, to develop agricultural cooperation projects in Africa.
4.2 Infrastructure
4.2.1 We agree that underdeveloped infrastructure is still an obstacle to Africa's social and economic development. Infrastructure development and improvement have been identified by African countries as one of the priority areas under NEPAD. We note that the Chinese Government has for decades provided loans and grant assistance to African countries mainly to help them build roads, bridges, hospitals, schools and other infrastructure projects, thus making positive contribution to social and economic development of recipient countries.
4.2.2 We agree to continue to place infrastructure development on top of China-Africa cooperation agenda and actively explore diversified forms of mutually beneficial cooperation. To this effect, China will support particularly the infrastructural projects aiming at contributing to the reduction of the negative impact on land locked economies due to lack of access to the sea. China will encourage its enterprises to take an active part in Africa's infrastructure projects and expand cooperation in transportation, telecommunication, energy, water supply, electricity and other fields.
African countries welcome China's position and will identify priority projects under the principle of friendly consultation and acting in accordance with one's capability. Enterprises on both sides are encouraged to conduct mutually beneficial cooperation, particularly in areas like roads, construction, telecommunication and power supply.
4.3 Trade
4.3.1 We take note of the rapid development of China-Africa trade, the continued growth of trade volume, the increasing movement of business people and the continued improvement of trade laws and regulations.
4.3.2 We recognize the need to expand the balanced two-way trade between the Two Sides.
4.3.3 We also recognize the importance of greater market access, which should be complemented by enhancing the supply capabilities of African countries.
4.3.4 The Chinese side has decided to grant zero-tariff treatment to some commodities of African LDCs for access to Chinese market. The Chinese side will, starting from 2004, negotiate lists of tariff-free goods and the rules of origin with the countries concerned on a bilateral basis.
African countries express their appreciation of China's gesture. The countries concerned are ready to cooperate closely with China in identifying such tariff-free goods and determining the rules of origin and to make all necessary preparations for the bilateral negotiation for that purpose.
4.4 Investment
4.4.1 We take note of the continuous increase of mutual investment between the Two Sides, particularly the rapid growth in China's investment in Africa. Our Governments' measures to support and encourage enterprise investment have produced initial results.
4.4.2 We agree that the "China-Africa Business Conference", which was held in parallel with the Ministerial Conference, has contributed to better mutual understan
ding between entrepreneurs on the Two Sides and will boost investment and cooperation. We reaffirm our support and encouragement to enterprises of our respective countries to implement the investment and cooperation initiatives reached at the Business Conference.
4.4.3 We are resolved to take concrete measures to continuously promote investment in both directions. China will further encourage and support its strong and viable enterprises of all ownerships to invest in Africa, including through the creation of China-Africa joint ventures aimed at encouraging the transfer of technology and the creation of employment in African countries. Both sides agree to take investment facilitation measures by also focusing on simplification of approval procedures for Chinese companies, which are interested in investing in Africa. African countries are encouraged to conclude with China bilateral agreements on investment protection and on the avoidance of double taxation.
4.4.4 African countries and regional groupings are urged to designate a competent organization to hold consultations with the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) with a view to establishing a China-Africa Chamber of Industry and Commerce at an early date.
4.5 Tourism cooperation
4.5.1 We agree that tourism development by African countries is an effective measure to boost national economic development. We note that tourism cooperation between China and some African countries have made substantive progress.
4.5.2 With a view to further enhancing China-Africa tourism cooperation and cognizant of China's significant gesture of granting Approved Destination Status (ADS) to Mauritius, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, Seychelles, Tunisia, and Zambia, African countries call on China to grant ADS to other African countries.
4.6 Debt relief
4.6.1 African countries note with satisfaction that China has signed protocols on debt relief and cancellation with 31 least developed and heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) in Africa ahead of its committed schedule, reducing or canceling altogether 156 matured debts totaling RMB 10.5 billion Yuan. African countries express their appreciation to China, which has heavy foreign debts of its own, for what it has done to reduce the African debts owed to the country.
4.6.2 The African debt issue constitutes one of the major obstacles to Africa's development. The Two Sides are resolved to work closely and continuously to urge the international community to pay greater attention to the issue and seek an expeditious solution. China is ready to coordinate its position with African countries at international fora and appeal to the international community, particularly developed countries, to take concrete steps to implement expeditiously the HIPC Debt Initiative. This should include the new approach for those countries with low and intermediate income that are not eligible for HIPC Debt Initiative and alleviate the burden on Africa's economic development and rejuvenation.
4.7 Development Assistance
4.7.1 African countries take note of the positive efforts of China, which is itself an assistance recipient country, to provide assistance to African countries to the best of its capability.
4.7.2 To support the development cause of African countries, China agrees to continue to provide, in light of China's financial position and economic development, economic assistance to African countries without attaching any political conditions and increase grant assistance as may be appropriate for projects to be agreed by both sides.
African countries undertake that they will, in the spirit of South-South cooperation and under the principle of acting in accordance with one's capability, propose, discuss and reach agreement with China on priority projects and strive to ensure their implementation.
4.8 Natural Resources and Energy Development
4.8.1 We recognize that the Two Sides share the same position on sustainable exploration and utilization of natural resources to promote social and economic prosperity and development of mankind. The cooperation between the Two Sides on natural resources exploration, particularly energy development, has been very productive, but the scope of such cooperation has yet to be expanded.
4.8.2 In this regard, we agree to strengthen our consultations on such cooperation and work out modalities to promote the objectives. China is ready to take an active part in resources development projects in African countries and increase its investment in this area under the principle of mutual benefit, reciprocity and sustainable development. African countries will provide all necessary information to and accord facilities for Chinese enterprises and promote the effective cooperation between enterprises on the Two Sides in accordance with international commercial rules and practice.
The Two Sides undertake to see to it that all cooperation projects comply with the principle of environmental protection and that enterprises implementing cooperation projects formulate specific plans for environmental protection in general and forestry exploitation in particular.
5. Social development
5.1 Human resources development and educational cooperation
5.1.1 We note that as a follow-up to the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation -- Ministerial Conference Beijing 2000, China has set up an African Human Resources Development Fund exclusively for African personnel training. Over the past three years, China has organized training courses or programs of diverse forms for Africa under this special fund.
African countries, attaching great importance to stronger cooperation with China in human resources development, have initiated cooperation plans and provided logistic support for training programs and cooperation projects.
5.1.2 We are fully aware of the vital importance of talent training and capacity building to sustainable development in Africa and of the great potential for cooperation between the Two Sides in human resources development.
5.1.3 We are resolved to take concrete measures to strengthen performance-based and result-specific cooperation between the Two Sides in human resources development. China will, in the next three years, further increase its financial contribution to the African Human Resources Development Fund for the training of up to 10,000 African personnel in different fields.
African countries undertake to contribute to such cooperation by providing necessary logistic support and facilitation and selecting the appropriate persons from their own countries for the training programs.
5.1.4 We take note of the fact that bilateral human resources development cooperation will be coordinated by each individual country bilaterally. However, in order to make the cooperation on a multilateral basis more effective, we agree that Ethiopia, the host and cochair of the current conference will, in cooperation with the African diplomatic corps in Beijing, serve as a coordinator responsible for communicating with China on African countries' requests, proposals and specific arrangements concerning human resources development in the next three years.
5.1.5 We agree to step-up educational cooperation. The Two Sides will exchange teachers and new scholarships and set-up channels of communication for exchange of ideas between their institutions of higher learning and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET). China will continue to help African institutions of higher learning and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) to improve and expand their academic disciplines and fields of specialization.
5.1.6 The Two Sides will strengthen their exchange of experience and cooperation in science and technology under the framework of the China-Africa Cooperation Forum with a view to promoting economic development and social progress.
5.2 Cooperation in medical care and public health
5.2.1 We take note of the new progress in the bilateral cooperation in the health field. On the one hand, China has continued to dispatch medical teams to Africa. In the past three years, 53 protocols have been concluded or renewed for this purpose. On the other is the convocation in 2002 of the China-Africa Forum on Traditional Medicine and adoption of the Plan of Action for the Cooperation of Traditional Medicine between China and African Countries.
5.2.2 We are aware of the common threat to mankind posed by the worldwide spread of HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, Ebola and SARS, and find it necessary for the Two Sides to enhance cooperation on public health contingency response mechanism and vigorously carry out activities in connection with the exchange of experience in the health and medical fields.
5.2.3 China will continue to send medical teams to Africa. In view of the current scope of its overseas medical mission and in light of its own capacity and African countries' needs, China will consider the requests of African countries for new, renewed or additional medical teams. China will endeavor to address African countries' request about the composition of the teams. China will continue to provide African countries with some free medicine, medical instruments or materials. It will step up the training of local medical workers. African countries for their part undertake to provide appropriate working and living conditions for Chinese medical teams.
5.2.4 The Two Sides, decide to extend to new areas and enhance their traditional medicine R&D cooperation, experience-sharing and technical exchanges, in particular, in the prevention and control of HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, SARS and Ebola, take the training of specialized health care personnel as a priority of their cooperation on human resources development.
5.3 Cultural exchange and cooperation
5.3.1 We note with pleasure the increasingly frequent cultural exchanges of diverse forms between the Two Sides. We recognize the importance of cultural exchanges and cooperation to maintaining the diversity of human culture, enhancing mutual understanding and friendship between different nations and ethnic groups, defusing the confrontations and conflicts endangering world peace and stability, and achieving common prosperity and the progress of mankind.
5.3.2 We are resolved to enhance cultural exchanges between the Two Sides. In this connection, China has decided that the annual international art festival "Meet in Beijing" to be held in 2004 will feature Africa and its arts. Eight to ten African art troupes will be invited to perform and a number of African art exhibitions will be staged in China. In addition, under bilateral cultural exchange programs, China will invite government cultural delegations from Africa to attend the art festival.
China has further decided to organize a culture program "Voyage of Chinese Culture to Africa" in 2004. China will send its performing, acrobatic and martial arts troupes to Africa and stage a Chinese Art Festival.
African countries undertake to respond positively to the Chinese initiative and provide all necessary support and facilities for these activities.
5.4 People-to-people exchange
5.4.1 We note that all our governments attach great importance and provide proper guidance to expanded people-to-people exchanges so as to promote understanding, trust and cooperation between peoples of the Two Sides.
5.4.2 We are resolved to continue to encourage people-to-people contacts and exchanges and to deepen the traditional friendship between the Two Sides. To this end, China proposes a "China-Africa Youth Festival" to be celebrated in China in 2004, which will serve as a channel for collective dialogue and cooperation between Chinese and African youth organizations, help boost their cooperation and exchanges and lay the groundwork for China-Africa friendship from generation to generation. African countries respond positively to China's initiative and encourage their youth organizations, statesmen and entrepreneurs to participate in this event.
6. Follow-up mechanism
The Two Sides are satisfied with the smooth progress of the Forum's follow-up mechanism and agree to hold the Third Ministerial Conference in China in three years' time and the Senior Officials' Meeting (SOM) in two years' time pursuant to the Procedures of the Follow-up Mechanism of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation.
