For the Common Good Stronger China-africa ties are in the interest of the people of China and Africa
The world is undergoing profound changes unseen in a century. A large group of emerging markets and developing countries are growing rapidly. In the meantime, unilateralism, protectionism and bullying practices are on the rise. The Cold War mentality is overflowing, bringing more uncertainty and instability to the world.
Against this backdrop, China and Africa cooperation is even more important to uphold multilateralism, fairness and justice, safeguard legitimate rights and interests of the people, serve the common good of African countries and China and contribute more to the global peace and development.
A friendship sharing weal and woe
China, the world’s largest developing country, and Africa, the continent with the largest number of developing countries, are natural partners. They have fought together for national independence and liberation and subsequently formed brotherly friendship.
Between the 1960s and 1970s, even though China was struggling with its own development challenges, it helped many African countries gain independence and development. To aid the construction of the Tanzania-zambia railway, thousands of Chinese builders and technicians were sent to Africa, and dozens devoted their lives
to the project. The unbreakable friendship between China and Africa has stood the test of time and international vicissitudes and has continued to flourish.
Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in 2012, China-africa relations have been upgraded from a new type of partnership to a new type of strategic partnership and now to a comprehensive strategic and cooperative partnership. With the concerted efforts of China and African countries, fruitful results have been achieved, which include the establishment of the Forum on China-africa Cooperation (FOCAC), the consensus on building a community with a shared future, and the co-construction of the Belt and Road Initiative and China-africa pilot projects for production capacity cooperation.
China has always supported African countries in their search for development paths suited to their national conditions. China is actively involved in UN peacekeeping operations in Africa. When the Ebola epidemic hit West Africa in 2015, the Chinese Government initiated a massive program of humanitarian assistance, the largest of its kind in the history of the People’s Republic of China.
Under the Belt and Road Initiative, 44 African countries and the African Union (AU) Commission have signed cooperation documents with China. Steps have been taken to enhance synergy between Chinaafrica Belt and Road cooperation with the AU’S Agenda 2063, the UN’S 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and the development strategies of African countries.
In the fight against COVID-19, China has sent a great amount of medical supplies and assistance to over 50 African countries and the AU. Five Chinese medical expert teams have been sent to the African continent.
In the past seven decades, over 200 million people in Africa have received care and treatment from Chinese medical teams. At present, 46 resident Chinese medical teams are in Africa helping with COVID-19 containment efforts locally.
In addition, China will provide $2 billion over two years to help with COVID-19 response and with economic and social development in affected countries, especially developing countries, establish a cooperation mechanism for its hospitals to pair up with 30 African hospitals and accelerate the building of the Africa CDC headquarters to help the continent ramp up its disease preparedness and control capacity, work with other G20 members to implement the Debt Service Suspension Initiative for the poorest countries, and work with the international community to bolster support for the hardest-hit countries under the greatest strain of debt service.
These policies and practices have won the trust of African governments and peoples and the recognition of the wider international community.
Guiding principles
China’s policy toward Africa follows the principle of sincerity, tangible results, amity and good faith, no interference in African countries’ internal affairs, no imposition of China’s will on African countries, no attachment of political strings, and no seeking of political interests in investment and financing cooperation with Africa.
China knows African nations are tired of their former colonizers’ finger-pointing and treasure their sovereignty. It has long held the view that cooperation with Africa must be based on respect for the desire and call of African countries, and be conducted in an open, inclusive and win-win manner.
China believes that the root cause of instability and conflict lies in poverty and underdevelopment. Thus development is the key to solving all problems, including security issues. China’s cooperation with Africa does not target any third party. In security matters, China has always advocated the leading position of the UN, the AU and relevant regional organizations in resolving peace and security issues in Africa. China supports the idea of African people using African ways to solve African problems.
Peter Kagwanja, CEO of Nairobi-based pan-african think tank Africa Policy Institute, has pointed out that China’s no-strings-attached support to Africa’s socio-economic transformation agenda is providing a durable solution to the crisis of poverty and youth unemployment that has fueled civil strife and insecurity in the continent.
Mwangi Wachira, a consultant on economic development, notes that African countries prefer development loans from China compared to countries and institutions from the West, because such loans do not come with unfair conditions.
Christopher Chika, Director of Asia and Australasia Directorate at Kenya’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, says that China’s participation in Africa’s peace and security agenda has redefined the ties between China and the continent in recent times. “The emerging consensus is to realign China-africa engagement with our continent’s peace and security agenda as we aspire to silence the guns.”
An even brighter future
Promoting friendly ties and cooperation with African countries has always been the foundation of China’s foreign policy.
As Africa’s good friend, good partner and good brother, China has made it clear that it will continue to expand friendly and practical cooperation with African countries in all fields for win-win results, work closely with the rest of the international community to draw on each other’s strength and form synergy to contribute together to Africa’s peace and development, firmly supporting Africa’s effort to seek strength through unity.
Facts have proven that China has and will continue to stand firm with Africa to jointly uphold the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries, safeguard multilateralism and international equity and justice, set a fine example of mutually beneficial cooperation for South-south cooperation, contribute to the building of a new type of international relations and a community with a shared future for humanity. CA
Disposable chopsticks, disposable lunch boxes, disposable cups, disposable toothbrushes, disposable combs ... Disposable items flood our lives. People today have become accustomed to using disposable chopsticks in restaurants and toiletries provided for free in hotel rooms. However, as awareness of environmental protection grows, more and more people are advocating a “low-carbon life” and “reduction in white pollution” to protect the environment.
In Shanghai, since July 2019, the use of disposable cups has been prohibited in government departments. Priority has been given to purchasing products made from recycled materials. Hotels are not allowed to provide customers with disposable daily necessities, and restaurants and delivery services are discouraged to provide free disposable chopsticks, spoons and other disposable tableware. Similarly, Beijing has prohibited restaurants and hotels from offering free disposable goods since May 1.
There has been a debate among the public on whether the use of these disposable items should be prohibited. Proponents of prohibition hold that the use of disposable items causes excessive waste of resources and damage to the environment, and, therefore, is detrimental to the sustainable development of the society. On the other hand, opponents believe that the widespread use of disposable products has been regarded as a revolution in the field of consumption, which bring many advantages, such as convenience and hygiene.