China and Africa concluded a historic two-day summit yesterday
in Beijing and pledged in a joint declaration and a roadmap for
future development to build a strategic partnership.
"We propose to enhance South-South cooperation and North-South
dialogue to promote balanced, coordinated and sustainable
development of the global economy to enable all countries to share
its benefits and realize common development and prosperity," said
President Hu Jintao when reading out part of the Beijing
Declaration.
Hu, along with 41 heads of state or government and senior
officials of 48 African countries, took part in the biggest
diplomatic event in China, with the theme "Friendship, Peace,
Cooperation and Development."
They adopted the declaration and the action plan for 2007-09 at
the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation
(FOCAC).
On Saturday, China pledged to offer US$5 billion in preferential
loans and credits, and double aid to Africa by 2009, while
announcing a package of assistance, investment, trade and other key
projects for public health and education with Africa.
Later the same day, Premier Wen Jiabao unveiled an ambitious
target of raising Sino-African trade to US$100 billion by 2010.
Bilateral trade reached US$39.7 billion last year, almost four
times that of 2000.
Chinese companies, meanwhile, yesterday signed 14 commercial
contracts and agreements worth US$1.9 billion with African nations,
covering natural resources, infrastructure, finance, technology and
communications.
"In the new century, China and the African countries should
enhance their traditional friendship and expand mutually beneficial
cooperation to achieve common development and prosperity," said
Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi while reading out another
part of the declaration.
"African countries reiterate that they adhere to the one-China
policy and support China's peaceful reunification," said Meles.
Ethiopia is the co-chair of FOCAC.
The declaration also called for a bigger role for Africa in the
United Nations and called on developed nations to increase their
help to the continent.
"We urge the developed countries to increase official
development assistance and honor their commitment to opening
markets and debt relief to enhance Africa's capacity in poverty and
disaster reduction and prevention and control of desertification,
and help Africa realize the UN Millennium Development Goals," said
Meles.
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, who also read out part of the
declaration, said: "We hold that the establishment of a new type of
strategic partnership is both the shared desire and independent
choice of China and Africa, serves our common interests and will
help enhance solidarity and mutual support and assistance."
The new strategic partnership between China and Africa features
"political equality and mutual trust, economic win-win co-operation
and cultural exchanges," according to the declaration.
The action plan is the roadmap for bilateral co-operation in the
next three years in the political, economic and social sectors.
Politically, China and Africa agree to maintain high-level
contacts and exchange views on international affairs.
The economic partnership covers agriculture, investment,
business cooperation, trade, finance, infrastructure construction,
energy and natural resources.
In the social sector, the action plan includes development and
assistance, debt reduction, training of professionals, culture,
education, public health, environmental protection, and
tourism.
The Chinese and African leaders also attended two roundtable
sessions yesterday at the Great Hall of the People.
President Hu told African leaders that the Beijing Summit has
laid a solid foundation for building a durable and stable strategic
partnership.
China, which is a developing country, considers the unity of,
and co-operation with, developing countries the cornerstone of its
diplomatic policy, he said.
China will forever be a reliable partner for promoting peace and
stability in Africa, achieving development and prosperity in Africa
and supporting Africa to play its part in international affairs,
said Hu.
African leaders at the meeting said they welcomed China's help
and greatly appreciated its commitment to opening its markets to
African commodities and encouraging Chinese investment in
Africa.
(China Daily November 6, 2006)