China-Africa friendship solid
President Xi pledges COVID-19 vaccine to continent first
China and African countries vowed to strengthen joint efforts in battling COVID-19 at a China-Africa summit on Wednesday, as the African continent faces increasing infections and China deals with a resurfacing in Beijing of the epidemic, which indicate a protracted fight against the virus.
Experts said that the summit demonstrates the unshakable China-African friendships despite previous bumps and some Western countries trying to sow dissent. China will always be the biggest supporter of African countries’ development, especially during the post-pandemic era.
In a keynote speech delivered at the summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping said the sudden onslaught of COVID-19 has taken a heavy toll on countries around the world, with the loss of several hundred thousand precious lives. He suggested to observe a moment of silence for those who have tragically passed away due to COVID-19 and express condolences to their families, CGTN reported Wednesday.
He said that in the face of COVID-19, China and Africa have offered mutual support and fought shoulder to shoulder with each other. China shall always remember the invaluable support Africa gave us at the height of our battle with the coronavirus. In return, when Africa was struck by the virus, China was the first to rush in with assistance and has since stood firm with the African people.
“China will start ahead of schedule the construction of the Africa CDC headquarters this year. China will work with Africa to fully deliver the health care initiative adopted at the FOCAC Beijing Summit, and speed up the construction of ChinaAfrica Friendship
Hospitals and the cooperation between paired-up Chinese and African hospitals,” Xi said.
“Together, we will build a China-Africa community of health for all. We pledge that once the development and deployment of COVID-19 vaccine is completed in China, African countries will be among the first to benefit.”
Experts said that China’s promises and assistance to African countries are concrete and useful, which reflect China’s sincerity and close ChinaAfrica friendship.
The summit, held via video link, was jointly proposed by China, South Africa, the rotating chair of the African Union (AU), and Senegal, the co-chair of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).
Leaders of African countries, including members of the AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government and rotating chairs of major African subregional organizations, and the chairperson of the AU Commission, attended the summit. The secretary-general of the United Nations and the director-general of the World Health Organization also attended as special guests.
The summit fully shows that China and Africa have attached great importance to COVID-19 prevention work, and their resolve not to slack off in the fight. They also urged other countries to take a more responsible attitude in the global anti-virus battle, experts said.
Experts noted China and Africa, as well as the international community would benefit from the summit. Some experts and international organizations expressed concerns over Africa countries’ capability to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic, and they said whether the world would win the battle against the virus depends on each country’s efforts.
Li Hongfeng, dean of the School of African Studies at Beijing Foreign Studies University, told the Global Times on Wednesday that the summit would help China and African countries share anti-virus experience and inspire more multilateral cooperation to work with and aid African countries. It will also facilitate coordination among African countries and resource sharing.
The “so far, so good” situation in the African continent can be traced to its previous experience in dealing with various epidemic diseases and the pre-warning systems and antivirus network among African countries.
Foreign aids, including those from China, also contributed to it, observers said.
Africa still faces several threats in dealing with the epidemic, including rising infections, especially in certain countries like South Africa, which may bring greater pressure to certain areas; incompetence in managing the pace of the spread; and contradictions between virus prevention and work resumption, Li Hongfeng said.
Unshakable friendship
The summit also shows that China-African friendship can endure the COVID-19, bumps during the epidemic, complicated international relations, and some Western countries’ attempts to instigate dissent, experts said.
Mutual trust and respect have been the unshakable cornerstone for China-Africa friendship for many decades. This is why the two sides support each other’s core interests, Li Xinfeng said.
China respects African countries, and they treat each other as true friends. However, some Western countries, especially the US, consider themselves superior to others, and always point fingers at African countries’ domestic affairs, he said.
Africans, including ambassadors, scholars and politicians, expressed support to China’s adoption of the national security law for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, calling the move necessary to safeguard China’s sovereignty, and that no foreign forces have the right to interfere.
“The US has always tried to sow discord between China and African countries, especially as China-US ties are strained, and the US is losing its influence on the continent,” Li Xinfeng said, “But making groundless remarks or smearing China would not help the situation.”