António Guterres: China’s cooperation will help Africa achieve peace and development

On September 5, Chinese President Xi Jinping continued his bilateral meetings with African leaders who were in Beijing to participate in the summit meeting of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).

Following the summit’s opening ceremony, that was held that morning, Xi Jinping met at noon with Botswanan President Dr. Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe Masisi.

The Chinese President pointed out that China and Botswana enjoy traditional friendship and have always offered sincere support to each other. In recent years, the two sides have regarded solidarity and cooperation as the cornerstone of their policies, prioritised improving the well-being of the people, and promoted solid progress in bilateral relations. Next year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. The two sides should systematically review the successful experience gained over the past half century since the establishment of diplomatic relations and remain committed to being partners of mutual trust, common development and close people-to-people bonds. He also called on the two sides to firmly support each other and strengthen cooperation in industry, agriculture, minerals, clean energy, education, and medical and health care, among others.

China and its African brothers have just gathered together once again, he said, integrating more closely the development of China, Africa and the world. This has yielded fruitful results and unleashed the positive energy of the Global South in promoting world peace, security, prosperity and progress. China is ready to work with Botswana to follow through on the outcomes of the summit and bring more benefits to the two peoples.

Dr. Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe Masisi said that today marks a historic moment for Africa-China relations. President Xi Jinping just delivered an excellent address at the opening ceremony of the FOCAC Beijing Summit, announcing new measures to advance the China-Africa partnership for modernisation, including the policy of further opening up to Africa, which greatly excited and encouraged the African side. Botswana fully supports this and believes that the vision outlined at the summit will surely be realised. Botswana firmly adheres to the one-China principle and believes that the Chinese people should and can realise national reunification. He thanked China for its long-term valuable support to Botswana, saying that his country is willing to take the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries next year as an opportunity to push for further development of bilateral relations.

Xi Jinping also met with United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, who was attending the FOCAC summit as a special guest.

President Xi said that China attaches great importance to developing China-Africa relations. After the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), his first overseas visit was to Africa, where he put forward in Tanzania the principle of sincerity, real results, amity, and good faith towards Africa and attended all subsequent FOCAC summits. China has no selfish interests in its cooperation with Africa. Half a century ago, in the face of its own economic difficulties, China responded to the expectations of its African brothers by vigorously assisting the construction of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway, writing a touching story of China-Africa friendship. Just now, at the opening ceremony of the summit, he had announced new actions and measures for practical cooperation with Africa. 

António Guterres thanked the Chinese side for inviting him to attend the FOCAC Beijing Summit. He said that historically, Africa has been the primary victim of colonialism. China’s cooperation with Africa will help reduce the historical injustice suffered by Africa and help Africa achieve peace and development. China’s peaceful development is a noble cause in the history of mankind and is conducive to the peace and progress of all humanity. The United Nations is ready to strengthen cooperation with China to resist actions that create division and undermine common progress, jointly practice multilateralism, promote more just and equitable global governance, and build a community with a shared future for humanity. The United Nations is making every effort to prepare for the Summit of the Future and hopes to have close communication with China to promote the reform of the international financial architecture and strengthen global AI governance.

In the afternoon, Xi Jinping met with Namibian President Nangolo Mbumba.

He stressed that the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the South West Africa People’s Organisation (SWAPO) of Namibia are both long-ruling progressive parties. He praised SWAPO for having incorporated “building socialism with Namibian characteristics” into its party constitution. China is willing to work with Namibia to enhance friendly cooperation between the two countries and between the two parties, strengthen the exchange of experience in party and state governance, share development opportunities, and jointly advance the modernisation process of their respective countries. 

Nangolo Mbumba said he was honoured to be invited to China for the FOCAC Beijing Summit and had received a warm and friendly reception with Chinese characteristics and tradition. The two outcome documents adopted by the FOCAC Summit in the morning are conducive to consolidating the brotherly friendship between Africa and China and promoting Africa-China cooperation in various areas. In particular, a series of new measures announced by President Xi Jinping for Africa and China joining hands to advance modernisation will guide the two sides to create a bright future of common development and prosperity and promote the building of an Africa-China community with a shared future. 

Xi Jinping also met with Ghanaian President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

The Chinese leader noted that Ghana is the second sub-Saharan African country [after Guinea] to establish diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Since the establishment of diplomatic relations 64 years ago, the friendship between the two countries has remained strong and enduring, regardless of changes in the international landscape. China is ready to carry forward the deep friendship forged by the elder generation of the leaders of the two countries [who include Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, Chairman Mao Zedong, Premier Zhou Enlai  and Chairman Liu Shaoqi] together with Ghana, so as to constantly enhance political mutual trust, promote exchanges and cooperation in various fields and be good friends who trust each other, good partners for common development, and good brothers with close cooperation. 

Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo said that Ghana was one of the first batch of African countries to establish diplomatic relations with the PRC. China has been Ghana’s most trustworthy friend and partner for over 60 years. Ghana highly cherishes its friendship with China, firmly pursues the one-China policy and supports China’s stance on human rights and other issues.

Meeting with Prime Minister of Sao Tome and Principe Patrice Trovoada, Xi Jinping pointed out that in recent years, China’s relations with Sao Tome and Principe have maintained a sound momentum of development and the two countries have achieved fruitful results in practical cooperation in various fields. Facts have proved that Sao Tome and Principe’s return to the China-Africa family of friendly cooperation fully conforms to the common interests of the two peoples. [China and Sao Tome and Principe established diplomatic relations in 1975 when the country won its independence from Portuguese colonial rule. However, they were suspended between 1997-2016 when the then government established “diplomatic relations” with the authorities on Taiwan in violation of the one-China principle.]

Patrice Trovoada said that every time he visits China, it feels like returning home. He thanked China for providing invaluable assistance to Sao Tome and Principe’s economic development, saying that the new measures announced by President Xi Jinping at the opening ceremony of the FOCAC Summit in the morning will significantly boost the development of Sao Tome and Principe and Africa.

In the evening, Xi Jinping met with President of Guinea-Bissau Umaro Sissoco Embaló.

Xi Jinping noted that President Umaro Sissoco Embaló paid a state visit to China this year and has now returned to Beijing to attend the summit as promised, demonstrating his friendship with China and the great importance he attached to the China-Africa solidarity and cooperation. China is ready to work with Guinea-Bissau to carry forward the traditional friendship, promote strategic cooperation, and safeguard their respective national sovereignty, security and development interests. Bilateral cooperation in various fields is practical and efficient, and steady progress has been made in such cooperation as the exports of Guinea-Bissau’s cashew to China, and the selection and appointment of a new group of Chinese agricultural technology experts. 

Umaro Sissoco Embaló said that it is his pleasure to come to China again to meet with President Xi Jinping. The Belt and Road Initiative and other important initiatives put forward by Xi demonstrate his extraordinary strategic vision and historical mind, which is of high theoretical and practical innovation. Guinea-Bissau highly appreciates and supports these initiatives. For Africa, China represents the future and is a brother. Guinea-Bissau is willing to be a trustworthy friend and partner of China. Umaro Sissoco Embaló hopes to take the FOCAC Beijing Summit as an opportunity to further deepen friendly exchanges and practical cooperation between the two countries.

Following his visit to China, President Embaló paid a state visit to Vietnam from September 5-8, in the first delegation exchange at the head-of-state level between the two countries since they established diplomatic ties in 1973.

Meeting his host, Party General Secretary and President To Lam, Embaló expressed admiration for Vietnam’s revolutionary journey, national construction and development, noting that this great cause and the country’s outstanding leaders, such as President Ho Chi Minh and General Vo Nguyen Giap, have been a source of inspiration for the national liberation movements in Guinea-Bissau and Africa. He added that a secondary school in Guinea-Bissau has been named after President Ho Chi Minh, underscoring Vietnam’s status as a model for developing countries in Africa and Guinea-Bissau in particular.

The inspiration that Guinea Bissau had drawn, during its revolutionary struggle, from the Vietnamese revolution and its legendary leaders was a recurring theme in the head of state’s visit. Guinea Bissau proclaimed its independence on September 24, 1973, when the flames of people’s war against Portuguese colonial rule were still raging, and Vietnam was one of the first countries to establish diplomatic relations with the new state, less than a week later on September 30.

Reflecting on this at the banquet he hosted for his guest, To Lam said that Vietnam always remembers the support of African friends, including Guinea-Bissau, in its past struggle for national liberation, adding that Vietnam hopes to continuously nurture the traditional and friendly relationship between the two countries for further development.

Meeting Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Embaló reiterated that the Vietnamese revolution and President Ho Chi Minh and General Vo Nguyen Giap had inspired the path of national liberation of the Guinea-Bissau people.

In his meeting with Chairman of the National Assembly Tran Thanh Man, President Embaló stressed that Vietnam is an example for Guinea-Bissau to follow in not only the past struggle for national liberation but also poverty reduction at present. He noted that the visit demonstrates the resolve to deepen and advance the bilateral relationship to a new height and step up closer and more effective cooperation between the two countries.  Currently, Vietnam is Guinea Bissau’s third largest export market.

President Xi Jinping also met on the evening of September 5 with Rwandan President Paul Kagame.

Xi Jinping pointed out, both the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) uphold the principle that the Party builds itself in the interest of, and exercises governance for, the people, and have made outstanding achievements in Party building and leading national development, winning the support of the people. China supports Rwanda in pursuing an independent development path, and is ready to deepen exchanges of Party and state governance experience, enhance political mutual trust, expand consensus on visions, and move forward side by side on their respective modernisation paths.

Paul Kagame said, he still remembers vividly President Xi Jinping’s historic visit to Rwanda in 2018. The people of Rwanda and China share similar visions and both advocate multilateralism and respect sovereignty and independence. Rwanda firmly pursues the one-China policy and supports China in achieving national reunification, which is based on the friendship and mutual understanding between the two countries. Rwanda regards China as a friend and partner worthy of long-term trust and is ready to strengthen the exchange of experience in state governance with China, advance practical cooperation in various fields, and jointly implement the three global initiatives proposed by President Xi Jinping.

The two sides issued the Joint Statement of the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of Rwanda on Jointly Promoting the Implementation of the Three Global Initiatives. The full text may be read here.

The following articles were originally published on the website of the Chinese Foreign Ministry.