The African countries President Hu Jintao visited over 12 days
showcase a wide-ranging picture of the continent from big to small,
rich to poor, and strong to weak. Hu wrapped up his historic Africa
tour and was back in Beijing Sunday.
The continent is high on the agenda of China diplomacy. Since
1991, Chinese foreign ministers have visited African countries
every year. With the latest visit to eight African nations, Hu has
not only kept up the country's diplomatic ties but taken a major
step forward in elevating bilateral relations.
Inaugurating the Zambia-China economic and trade cooperative
zone in Lusaka, Zambia, China's first in Africa, is one of the
tangible outcomes. The Chinese government plans to set up three to
five more such areas in Africa over the next three years.
Ongoing cooperation based on friendship, mutual benefit and
shared development will bring substantial gains to Africans.
Half of Hu's trip was devoted to southern Africa, with state
visits to Mozambique, Zambia, Namibia, South Africa and Seychelles.
This is an expanded focus for Hu, since his previous visits were
primarily in the northern and western regions of Africa. His visits
to the central and southern parts of the continent have brought
China and Africa closer, offering both sides the chance to know
each other better.
Hu told his African hosts that China would work with them, with
regional organizations and with the United Nations to help bring
peace to Sudan's Darfur region.
China hopes that the Darfur region will move toward peace and
stability based on the Sudanese parties' working to implement the
agreement reached by the African Union and the United Nations.
Developing cooperation with African countries with no political
strings attached, China is ready to share its experience in
development. At the same time, Hu stressed that China has learned
from Africa and mutual economic gains have been made. It is a
win-win situation, in contrast to earlier colonial exploitation of
the continent. Judging from the latest African visit, cooperation
between China and Africa is forging ahead with pragmatism built on
mutual understanding.
(China Daily February 12, 2007)
