President Xi Jinping and a commitment to the greater success of Africa’s development, By Yu Dunhai

President Xi has despatched congratulatory messages to the AU Summit for 13 years since 2013. Regardless of how the worldwide panorama might evolve, his congratulatory message to the convening of the Summit has at all times arrived with the promised hour. The congratulatory letter absolutely demonstrates the excessive consideration China pays to the AU and China-Africa relations, with agency confidence in and solemn dedication to collectively implementing the outcomes of the FOCAC Beijing Summit and constructing an all-weather China-Africa Group…

On fifteenth February, Chinese language President Xi Jinping despatched a message to the thirty eighth African Union Summit, extending heat congratulations to African international locations and folks. He identified that because the world is experiencing nice modifications and dysfunction, the World South, represented by China and Africa, has saved rising in energy. Over the previous yr, the AU has rallied African international locations to vigorously promote integration inside the continent, stand as much as regional and world challenges, and make the unified voice of Africa heard. This has ensured the continual rise of Africa’s worldwide standing and affect. The Chinese language chief sincerely needs African international locations and peoples new and even larger success of their unbiased pursuit of growth and revitalisation.

President Xi Jinping careworn that in 2024, China-Africa relations loved strong progress. The Beijing Summit of the Discussion board on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) was efficiently held. The 2 sides have ushered in a brand new stage of collectively constructing an all-weather China-Africa group with a shared future for the brand new period and which continues to be on the forefront in constructing a group with a shared future for mankind. He is able to work with African leaders by means of ten partnership actions, to ship extra tangible advantages to the over 2.8 billion folks in China and Africa.

President Xi has despatched congratulatory messages to the AU Summit for 13 years since 2013. Regardless of how the worldwide panorama might evolve, his congratulatory message to the convening of the Summit has at all times arrived inside the promised hour. The congratulatory letter absolutely demonstrates the excessive consideration China pays to the AU and China-Africa relations, with agency confidence in and solemn dedication to collectively implementing the outcomes of the FOCAC Beijing Summit and constructing an all-weather China-Africa Group, with a shared future for the brand new period, which is able to inject contemporary impetus into growing China-Africa friendship and deepening mutually useful and win-win cooperation.

…the general characterisation of China-Africa relations has been elevated to an all-weather China-Africa Group with a shared future. China has been Africa’s largest buying and selling accomplice over the previous 15 years in a row, and one of many principal suppliers of International Direct Funding (FDI). By the tip of 2023, China’s direct funding inventory in Africa had exceeded $40 billion.

China and African international locations are outdated, shut, and true mates. China-Africa relations have been the spine of South-South cooperation and an excellent instance of dealing with worldwide relationships. China has up to now established strategic partnership with all African international locations, which it has diplomatic ties with. In the meantime, the general characterisation of China-Africa relations has been elevated to an all-weather China-Africa Group with a shared future. China has been Africa’s largest buying and selling accomplice over the previous 15 years in a row, and one of many principal suppliers of International Direct Funding (FDI). By the tip of 2023, China’s direct funding inventory in Africa had exceeded $40 billion.

Africa is China’s second-largest abroad challenge contracting market. The previous decade has witnessed an gathered income of over $400 billion to Chinese language corporations in Africa. The essential infrastructure of the African continent has been repeatedly strengthened by means of a collection of constructed mega-projects, such because the Lekki Deep Sea Port in Nigeria, Photo voltaic Photograph-voltaic Energy Vegetation in South Africa, Kafue Gorge Decrease Hydroelectric Energy Station in Zambia, and Fangjuni Bridge in Senegal. The general put in capability of PV energy crops co-built by China and Africa has surpassed 1.5 gigawatts, lighting up hundreds of households on the African continent.

The yr 2025 marks the twenty fifth anniversary of the inspiration of FOCAC and the primary yr of implementing the outcomes of the FOCAC Beijing Summit. By seizing the chance of the Coordinators’ Ministerial Assembly on the Implementation of the Comply with-up Actions of the FOCAC Beijing Summit and seventieth anniversary of China-Africa diplomatic relations in 2026, we hope to reap the early harvest of FOCAC Beijing Summit.

China has and can at all times put Africa into the highest agenda of its diplomatic positioning. China will as at all times, along with African international locations, on the precept of amity, sincerity, mutual profit and inclusiveness, and the precept of pursuing larger good and shared pursuits, push China-Africa Complete Partnership into a brand new top, constructing an all-weather China-Africa Group with a shared future for the brand new period…

We are going to ship extra concrete outcomes from Ten Partnership Actions by placing into place the zero-tariff remedy on 100 per cent taxable objects, bettering China-Africa community that includes land-sea hyperlinks and built-in growth, delivering 1000 “small and delightful” livelihood tasks, and optimising the mechanism for China-Africa commerce and funding cooperation. All these efforts will present a extra broad market, extra relevant applied sciences and extra steady funding for African international locations of their modernisation.

The world is experiencing nice modifications and dysfunction, filled with uncertainty and instability. Unilateral bullying and beggar-thy-neighbour practices instigate widespread apprehension within the worldwide group. However one factor is for certain: regardless of how the worldwide panorama evolves, China’s unique aspiration stays unchanged. China will at all times be essentially the most reliable buddy of African brothers and sisters, most dependable accomplice of their pursuit of modernisation, and their strongest supporter on the world stage.

China has and can at all times put Africa into the highest agenda of its diplomatic positioning. China will as at all times, along with African international locations, on the precept of amity, sincerity, mutual profit and inclusiveness, and the precept of pursuing larger good and shared pursuits, push China-Africa Complete Partnership into a brand new top, constructing an all-weather China-Africa Group with a shared future for the brand new period and write a brand new chapter of mutual understanding, affinity, belief and advantages.

Yu Dunhai is the Chinese language Ambassador to Nigeria.