China Daily Global Edition (USA)
FM’s trip to Africa reaffirms priority on ties
During tour of four countries, senior diplomat calls for stronger collaboration, coordination
State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi wrapped up his fiveday traditional New Year tour of Africa on Sunday with China’s economic, security and Belt and Road cooperation with African countries further boosted.
Wang used the visits to four nations — Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, Gambia and Senegal — to reaffirm the priority that China places on developing ties with Africa and to dismiss criticism alleging that Chinese aid had contributed to a massive increase in the debt of African countries.
During the visits, he also called on African countries to work with China to strengthen collaboration and coordination in international affairs and uphold the rules-based multilateral trading system to safeguard the common interests of China and Africa, as well as those of other developing countries.
Wang told a news conference in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, that it has been the primary objective of China’s diplomacy to strengthen cooperation with Africa and other developing countries.
Speaking of the debt issue in African countries, Wang said criticism from certain countries hyping African debt neither conforms with facts nor will be accepted by African countries.
The United States’ new Africa strategy, which was unveiled last month, has been designed to counter the financial and political influence of China and Russia, according to US National Security Advisor John Bolton. He accused China of making a “strategic use of debt to hold states in Africa captive to Beijing’s wishes and demands”.
Wang said the African people know better than anyone about the major cause of debt issues in their countries, adding that attempts to discredit China will not influence cooperation between China and Africa.
He said the resolution of the debt issue in African countries depends on their independent and sustainable economic development.
To this end, China will step up implementation of the results of the 2018 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, as well as the eight major initiatives that are urgently needed by African countries to strengthen their own economic growth drivers, he added.
President Xi Jinping announced the eight major initiatives at the 2018 FOCAC Beijing Summit to enhance cooperation with African countries, covering such fields as industrial promotion, infrastructure connectivity, trade facilitation and green development.
In his talks with Moussa Faki Mahamat, chairman of the African Union Commission, at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa, Wang said China is willing to align its development initiatives with African priorities and projects, especially in jointly implementing the Belt and Road Initiative and the AU’s Agenda 2063.
Noting that Africa-China relations are united and friendly, robust and mutually beneficial, Faki told Wang the AU appreciates China’s valuable support and assistance in developing infrastructure and enhancing independent peacekeeping capabilities on the continent.
Wang told a news conference in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, on Friday that China has played a unique and constructive role in safeguarding peace and security in Africa.
Reiterating that peace and stability are the most urgent needs of Africa, he said China consistently supports the United Nations’ peacekeeping operations on the continent and will continue to do its best to safeguard peace and promote security in the region.
Wang’s Africa tour is hailed as a continuation of the tradition since 1991 of Chinese foreign ministers choosing Africa for their first overseas trip of the year. It was also the first time that Wang has made an official visit to Gambia or Burkina Faso since the two countries resumed diplomatic ties with China in 2016 and 2018, respectively. Senegal is the current African co-chair of the FOCAC.
Observers said Wang’s visits to the African countries will help boost the traditional friendship with nations on the continent and implement the consensus that Chinese and African leaders reached at the 2018 FOCAC Beijing Summit.
Liu Guijin, a veteran diplomat who once served as the first special representative of the Chinese government on African affairs, said in an interview that Wang’s visit to Africa is of special significance, given the profound changes in the international landscape.
Liu said China values the traditional friendship with Africa, and cooperation with African countries follows the principles of sincerity, real results, amity and good faith and does not seek geostrategic benefits.
He said the “America First” strategy of the US and the remarks made by Bolton, the US national security adviser, have aroused widespread criticism from the international community, particularly from African countries. “African countries don’t want the continent to become a field that the US strangles for the sake of its geostrategic interests,” Liu said.
President Paul Kagame of Rwanda said last month while in Vienna, Austria, for the High-Level Europe-Africa Forum that “China’s engagement in Africa is a good thing. China is very active in Rwanda, but not in an inappropriate way. We know our capacity and which Chinese proposals we should accept, so as not to be overloaded with debt. It depends on us Africans.”
Liu said no one knows better than the African people whether China-Africa cooperation produces real benefits and whether China’s assistance to Africa works well.
Liu also lauded China’s peacekeeping role in Africa, saying the country has increased assistance to the African Union to help the continent maintain independence, peace and security.