Saturday, November 27, 2021

The Discursive Edifice of the Chinese Belt & Road Initiative in Africa: State Council of China White Paper-- "China and Africa in the New Era: A Partnership of Equals" [《新时代的中非合作》白皮书(全文)]

Pix Credit South China Morning Post



Recently, it was announced that the China-Africa Conference will be geld in Senegal 29-30 November (see here).


In Dakar, Foreign Minister Aïssata Tall Sall and Chinese ambassador Xiao Han肖晗 (top right photo) jointly convened a briefing for all local African ambassadors where they provided an outline of the four documents that will be adopted at the conference and serve as the key pillars of the upcoming forum:
--The Dakar Action Plan 2022-2024 (This is the most important of the four documents)
--The 2035 vision of China-Africa cooperation
--The Sino-African declaration on cooperation on climate change
--The Dakar declaration (most likely a sort of final communiqué) (Chinese, Senegalese Governments Formally Announce FOCAC Dates and Themes)

In the run up to the event, the Chinese State Council Information Office has released its position (white) paper: China and Africa in the New Era: A Partnership of Equals [original:《新时代的中非合作》白皮书(全文)]  It provides a discursive and thematic foundation for the further elaboration of the framing of the China-Africa relationship through the lens of the Belt & Road Initiative.

Pix Credit HERE
The eighth edition of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) is due to be held in Dakar, Senegal, from 29-30 November 2021, Senegal’s foreign minister, Aïssata Tall Sall, and the Chinese ambassador to Dakar, Xiao Han, have announced.  The theme of the conference will be “Deepen China-Africa Partnership and Promote Sustainable Development to Build a China-Africa Community with a Shared Future in the New Era”, according to Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin. (What can Africa expect from FOCAC 2021?)

The Chinese discursive position builds on now common themes: "The two sides will focus on boosting quality development and further align the goals of the Belt and Road Initiative with those of the AU’s Agenda 2063, the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the development strategies of individual African countries. They will build the Belt and Road into a road to peace, prosperity, openness, green development, innovation and cultural exchanges, and create a China-Africa community of shared future in the new era." (China and Africa in the New Era supra, Part IV(2)). 

Yet African leaders, still quite eager for deepening economic relations (South China Morning Post), are also increasingly sensitive to the terms of those arrangements, especially after the usually confidential arrangements have been revealed in part. (Database reveals secrets of China's loans to developing nations, says study) The terms of the loans suggest the nature of the  relationships between Chinese entities and African states--and are worth considering in parallel with the discursive efforts to suggest equality in the official public documents.  "These include confidentiality clauses that prevent borrowers from revealing the terms of the loans, informal collateral arrangements that benefit Chinese lenders over other creditors and promises to keep the debt out of collective restructurings - dubbed by the authors as “no Paris Club” clauses, the report said. The contracts also give substantial leeway for China to cancel loans or accelerate repayment, it added." (Ibid.). Recent reporting of the precarious condition of the ownership and control of Uganda's Entebbe Airport suggest the complexities of the relationship (How Uganda coughed up Entebbe airport to China) (Exim Bank of China). There appears to be a push as well for reform in the structures through which these cooperation arrangements are structured and operationalized (for thoughtful commentary: The Forum on China-Africa Cooperation at 21: Where to Next?).

Chinese efforts, though, focus elsewhere: "In an interview with the Seychelles News Agency on 17 November, China’s ambassador to the Seychelles, Guo Wei, said that the forum would “adopt measures in such key areas as health, investment and trade, food security, climate change, human resources and digital innovation, with a focus on transforming and upgrading China-Africa cooperation to improve its quality and efficiency.”" (What can Africa expect from FOCAC 2021?). The issue is not whether any of this is good or bad--African states have been undertaking quite risky financial relationships with outsiders since the current era of post colonial independence.   The more interesting question is the way that the variation in these risky relationships now focused on new Chinese partners may or may not align with the discourse of socialist internationalism and its ideals as expressed in the discourse of Belt & Road and the structuring of the ideologies versus the realities of socialist internationalism. Badly done, of course, these discursive disjunctions will eventually reduce the long term effectiveness  of projections of Chinese power in Africa as it had those who had stood in a similar place a generation or so before. 

Pix Credit HERE
 

But for the moment, this document provides a solid glimpse, at least discursively, as the way in which China now projects the Communist International with itself at the center.  No more dreary Soviet-Russified ideological catechisms. In contrast to this offering up of a darker Dostoevsky built into the Comintern and its successors, China builds an ideological foundation on the notion of a  full belly and a prosperous state (prosperous at least for the interlinked networks of elite groups who dominate politics and economics). That enterprise, in turn, is to be guided by a national-Chinese partnership that aligns African national and regional aspirations to the engine of the Chinese core. Instead what is offered is arability and prosperity--with China at the center.  This approach, already long in the making, was refined in the development of a powerful discursive counter-thrust to the Hong Kong protests (Hong Kong Between 'One Country' and 'Two Systems'). Stability and prosperity are then built on a Maoist-Leninist foundation of binaries: core-collective; patriot-traitor; vanguard-masses; order-chaos; planning-markets; interference-cooperation; mutual benefit-neocolonial exploitation and so on.  It is a powerful set of discursive tropes, ones which remain unmatched by a liberal democratic camp that has become mired in its own ideological civil wars and can offer up little more  than the sort of dreary catechisms once reserved for the Soviets.  The irony of this inversion from the 1960s ought not to be lost on anyone.

The English language version of the per-Conference paper, China and Africa in the New Era: A Partnership of Equals, appears below, along with the original Chinese. Note the sometimes subtle differences, starting with the title which in the original leaves off the "Partnership of Equals" part.

 

 

Full Text: China and Africa in the New Era: A Partnership of Equals

China and Africa in the New Era: A Partnership of Equals

 

The State Council Information Office of 

the People’s Republic of China

November 2021

 

 

Contents

 

Foreword

I.Building an Even Stronger China-Africa Community of Shared Future

II.All-Round China-Africa Cooperation in the New Era 

III.Strengthening Mutual Support

IV.Breaking New Ground in China-Africa Relations

Conclusion

Foreword

China is the largest developing country in the world, and Africa is the continent with the largest number of developing countries. Shared past experiences and similar aims and goals have brought China and Africa close together. China and Africa will always be a community of shared future. Developing solidarity and cooperation with African countries has been the cornerstone of China’s foreign policy, as well as a firm and longstanding strategy. In the fight for national liberation and independence, China and African countries supported each other and expanded mutual political trust in the process. In pursuing economic development and national rejuvenation, both sides have been helping the other and increasing the scope of cooperation. On major international and regional issues, they have coordinated their positions and jointly safeguarded international equality and justice.

Entering the new era, Chinese President Xi Jinping put forward the principles of China’s Africa policy – sincerity, real results, amity and good faith, and pursuing the greater good and shared interests, charting the course for China’s cooperation with Africa, and providing the fundamental guidelines. The dual successes of the Johannesburg Summit in 2015 and the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in 2018 pushed China-Africa cooperation to a new and unprecedented high. President Xi Jinping and African leaders unanimously decided at the FOCAC Beijing Summit that the two sides would work to build an even stronger China-Africa community of shared future, advance cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, establishing a new milestone in China-Africa relations.

China-Africa friendship has not been an overnight achievement, nor has it been gifted from on high. Rather, it has been fostered throughout the years when China and Africa supported and stood alongside each other in trying times. China has aided to the limit of its capabilities the development of Africa, and has been grateful for the strong support and selfless help African countries and their peoples have extended to China for a long period of time. Since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, China and African countries have continued to provide mutual support, writing a new chapter in China-Africa solidarity and friendship at times of crisis.

This white paper is designed to document the successes of China-Africa cooperation in the new era, and offer a perspective on future cooperation between the two sides.

I. Building an Even Stronger China-Africa Community of Shared Future

China and Africa enjoy a long-lasting friendship. Chairman Mao Zedong and other first-generation leaders of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), along with African statesmen of the older generation, laid the foundations for China-Africa friendship. China has always offered respect, appreciation, and support for Africa, and the Chinese people have shared weal and woe and mutual assistance with African people, exploring a distinctive path to win-win cooperation. At the FOCAC Beijing Summit held in September 2018, the two sides decided to build an even stronger China-Africa community of shared future and lead China-Africa relations and cooperation into a new era. China and Africa have stood together in success and adversity, setting an example for building a global community of shared future.

1. The Principles of Sincerity, Real Results, Amity and Good Faith and the Principles of Pursuing the Greater Good and Shared Interests

The principles of sincerity, real results, amity and good faith and the principles of pursuing the greater good and shared interests epitomize China’s policy to Africa. They represent the essence of Chinese culture and embody the historical traditions of China-Africa friendship – a role model for international cooperation with Africa. They are the overarching guiding principles for China in building up solidarity and cooperation with developing countries, including those in Africa.

“Sincerity” is how we treat our African friends. Nothing is more important than a true friend. China has always considered solidarity and cooperation with African countries to be an essential element of its foreign policy. This will never change, not even when China grows stronger and enjoys a higher international status. China is ready to reinforce mutual support with African countries on issues involving core interests and major concerns of either or both. China will continue its firm support for Africa’s position on international and regional affairs, and uphold the common interests of developing countries. China will continue its support for African countries’ efforts to resolve their continent’s issues in their own way, and make a greater contribution to peace and security in Africa. China will continue its firm support for African countries’ efforts to explore development paths suited to their national conditions. It also stands ready to increase exchanges on governance experience with African countries and boost common development and prosperity, by drawing on wisdom from the time-honored civilizations and experience of both sides.

“Real results” are what China aims to achieve in its cooperation with Africa. China is a champion of win-win cooperation and works to put the principle into action. China is committed to integrating its own development closely with Africa’s development, and the Chinese people’s interests with those of African peoples. By so doing, China sincerely hopes that African countries will grow stronger and that African life will get better. While pursuing its own development, China has extended support and assistance to its African friends to the limits of its capacity. Particularly in recent years, China has scaled up its assistance and cooperation with Africa. Whenever it makes a commitment, China will always honor it to the letter. It will continue to expand cooperation in investment and financing with Africa and strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation in agricultural and manufacturing sectors. By so doing, China will help African countries translate their strengths in resources into advantages in development and realize independent and sustainable development.

“Amity” is a principle China follows in strengthening China-Africa friendship. The peoples of China and Africa are destined to be good friends. Their hearts are bonded through dialogue and concrete actions. China-Africa friendship has its roots and lifeblood in the people, and the goal of China-Africa relations is to benefit the people. The two sides have long valued people-to-people exchanges, so that the Chinese people and African people know each other well and China-Africa friendship has grown on a solid social base. China-Africa friendship is forward-looking. To flourish, it needs continuous efforts by aspirational Chinese and African youth from one generation to another. The two sides should promote youth exchanges so that the friendship can maintain dynamism and vigor.

“Good faith” should be honored in solving problems arising from cooperation. Both China and Africa are at a stage of rapid development. Their mutual understanding should keep abreast of the times. China faces up squarely to any new problems in their relations, and is committed to properly addressing emerging problems in a spirit of mutual respect and win-win cooperation.

In terms of the principles of shared interests and the greater good, each is of vital importance, but more emphasis is given to the latter. In international affairs, China advocates political justice, mutual economic benefit, win-win cooperation, and common development. It upholds good faith, friendship, and integrity. Properly handling the relationship between shared interests and the greater good is an essential requirement of China-Africa relations in the new era. The greatest good in China-Africa relations is to closely combine Africa’s independent and sustainable development with China’s own development, and reject the zero-sum game and actions driven by a narrow pursuit of profit. The ultimate goal is to realize win-win cooperation.

2. Mutual Respect and Common Development

China-Africa cooperation is about mutual support between developing countries. Over the years, China has formed a distinctive approach to win-win cooperation with Africa. The approach is in line with the traditional Chinese philosophy, “Do not do to others what you do not want others to do to you.” It also corresponds to the fundamental interests of African countries and the basic norms of international relations. It is a hallmark of China-Africa solidarity and cooperation and can serve as a useful reference for international cooperation with Africa.

China’s approach involves upholding four principles:

– Upholding sincerity, friendship and equality. The Chinese people have worked together with African people in pursuit of a shared future. China respects, appreciates and supports Africa.

– Upholding shared interests and the greater good, with greater emphasis on the latter. In its cooperation with Africa, China applies the principles of giving more and taking less, giving before taking, and giving without asking for something in return. It welcomes African countries aboard the express train of China’s development with open arms.

– Upholding a people-oriented approach in pursuing practical cooperation with efficiency. In its cooperation with Africa, China gives top priority to the interests and wellbeing of the peoples of China and Africa, and works to their benefit. China is committed to fully honoring the promises it has made to its African friends.

– Upholding openness and inclusiveness. China stands ready to work with other international partners to support Africa in pursuing peace and development. It welcomes and supports all initiatives that further Africa’s interests.

In developing relations with Africa, there are five lines that China will not cross: no interference in African countries’ choice of a development path that fits their national conditions; no interference in African countries’ internal affairs; no imposition of its will on African countries; no attachment of political strings to assistance to Africa; and no pursuit of selfish political gains through investment and financing cooperation with Africa.

3. The Lofty Goal of Building a Community of Shared Future

At the FOCAC Beijing Summit in 2018, China and Africa reached a strategic agreement to build a China-Africa community of shared future characterized by joint responsibility, win-win cooperation, happiness for all, cultural prosperity, common security, and harmony between humanity and nature. This is a fundamental program of action, and a lofty goal for the two sides. It has charted the course for China-Africa cooperation in the new era.

– In assuming joint responsibility, the two sides will reinforce mutual understanding and support on issues involving each other’s core interests and major concerns, and boost coordination on major international and regional issues. These efforts will enable the two sides to uphold the common interests of China and Africa as well as other developing countries.

– In pursuing win-win cooperation, China and Africa will seize the opportunity created by the complementarity between their respective development strategies and the major opportunities presented by the Belt and Road Initiative. This will allow them to expand areas of cooperation and unlock new cooperation potential.

– In delivering happiness for all and growing China-Africa relations, the clear goal of the two sides is to make people’s lives better. The cooperation between the two sides must deliver real benefit to the people in both China and African countries.

– In pursuing cultural prosperity, China and Africa will work to strengthen the bond between their peoples by increasing exchanges, mutual learning and harmonious co-existence between the civilizations of the two sides, invigorating their civilizations and cultures, enriching their artistic creations, and providing richer cultural nourishment.

– In seeking common security, China is ready to play a constructive role, and will support African countries in strengthening their independent capacity for safeguarding stability and peace. China firmly supports African countries and the African Union (AU), as well as other regional organizations in Africa, in their efforts to solve African issues in African ways.

– In promoting harmony between humanity and nature, China will strengthen exchanges and cooperation with Africa on climate change, clean energy, prevention and control of desertification and soil erosion, protection of wildlife, and other areas of ecological and environmental sensitivity. Through their combined efforts, the two sides will make China and Africa beautiful places for people to live in harmony with nature.

Ultimately, it is for the Chinese and African people to judge the results of China-Africa cooperation. China’s aim in developing cooperation with Africa will always be to promote the fundamental interests of the Chinese and African people. It will never make containment of any third country an aim of its policy in Africa.

4. An Exemplary Model for World Development and Cooperation

When China-Africa cooperation thrives, South-South cooperation will flourish. When China and Africa are fully developed, the world will be a better place. Cooperation in the new era is the sure way for China and Africa to realize common development. It will lay more solid foundations for building an even stronger China-Africa community of shared future, and build up strong momentum for the rise of developing countries as a whole, and for more balanced international relations.

Under the combined impact of the pandemic, a scale of change unseen in a century, and a sharp conflict between multilateralism and unilateralism, the global governance system is facing profound and unprecedented challenges. China sees Africa as a broad stage for international cooperation rather than an arena for competition among major countries. China-Africa cooperation has never been a case of talk and no action. It is a case of bringing tangible benefits to people in China and Africa, and creating more favorable conditions for others in the international community to conduct cooperation with Africa. In the new era, through solidarity and cooperation, the peoples of China and Africa will set an example in increasing the wellbeing of humanity, creating a new type of international relations, and building a global community of shared future.

II.All-Round China-Africa Cooperationin the New Era

China and Africa trust each other and China-Africa friendship is rock-solid. China is committed to consolidating China-Africa political mutual trust, expanding pragmatic cooperation with Africa in various areas, and extending its help to boost peace and development in the continent. China has always been on the forefront of international cooperation with Africa. After years of dedicated efforts, the tree of China-Africa cooperation has flourished – it is tall and strong, and cannot be shaken by any force. China-Africa friendship is in its prime. The fruitful results of China-Africa cooperation can be seen across the continent. It has improved the conditions for economic and social development in Africa and brought tangible benefits to people in both China and Africa.

1. Mutual Political Trust

Since the founding of the PRC in 1949, China and African countries have always been good friends who stand together through prosperity and adversity, good partners who share weal and woe, and good comrades who fully trust each other in a shifting international landscape. In 2006, the FOCAC Beijing Summit decided to establish a new type of China-Africa strategic partnership. In 2015, the FOCAC Johannesburg Summit decided to build a China-Africa comprehensive strategic and cooperative partnership. In the 2018 FOCAC Beijing Summit, the two sides agreed to build an even stronger China-Africa community of shared future, raising China-Africa relations to a new level.

High-level exchanges play an important role in developing China-Africa relations. State leaders of the two sides value communication and coordination on bilateral relations and major issues of common interest. Their exchanges have laid solid political groundwork for consolidating traditional friendship, increasing mutual political trust, safeguarding common interests, and pursuing development and cooperation. In March 2013, President Xi Jinping visited Africa, his first official overseas visit after assuming the office of president. To date he has made four visits to different locations across the continent.

 

During the 2018 FOCAC Beijing Summit, President Xi had one-on-one meetings with more than 50 African leaders, renewing friendships, exploring cooperation, and discussing the future. He also attended close to 70 bilateral and multilateral events.

After the FOCAC Beijing Summit in 2018, 17 African leaders came to China for state visits or meetings. Following the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, state leaders of the two sides have maintained contacts and communication via video and phone calls. In June 2020, President Xi Jinping presided over the Extraordinary China-Africa Summit on Solidarity Against Covid-19 via video link. Thirteen African leaders and chairperson of the AU Commission attended the summit. Since the pandemic struck, President Xi has talked by phone with African state leaders on 17 occasions, maintaining close high-level contacts and exchanges with his African counterparts. President Xi has always treated African friends as equals, and fostered solid friendships and profound trust with African leaders. This head-of-state diplomacy has guided China-Africa relations to steady and sustained prosperity.

China and Africa consistently work to diversify and improve intergovernmental dialogue, consultation and cooperation mechanisms. They make the most of the coordinating role of the mechanism to promote all-round development of China-Africa cooperation in various areas. China has established a comprehensive strategic and cooperative partnership with nine African countries, a comprehensive strategic partnership with three, a strategic partnership with six, and a comprehensive cooperative partnership with seven. China has set up bi-national commissions and diplomatic consultation or strategic dialogue mechanisms with 21 African countries and the AU Commission, and joint (mixed) committees on trade and economic cooperation with 51 African countries. In 2016, China and the AU established a consultation mechanism on human rights. In 2017, China established the High-Level People-to-People Exchange Mechanism with South Africa, the first of its kind between China and an African country. China-Africa cooperation at the local level is flourishing. The two sides have held four cooperation forums between local governments since 2012. There are currently 160 pairings of sister provinces/cities between China and African countries, 48 of which have been established since 2013.

China and African countries conduct close exchanges between political parties, legislative bodies and consultative bodies, building multi-level, multi-channel, multi-form and multi-dimensional friendly cooperation. The Communist Party of China expands exchanges and cooperation with political parties in African countries based on the principles of independence, equality, mutual respect and non-interference in each other’s internal affairs. It is committed to building a new type of relations between political parties in which different political parties seek common ground while setting aside differences, and they respect and learn from each other. The two sides make full use of the positive role of legislation and supervision to provide policy support for bilateral cooperation and exchanges. The National People’s Congress of China has established mechanisms for regular exchanges with parliaments in Egypt, South Africa and Kenya, and bilateral friendship groups with parliaments in 35 African countries. The National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and its subsidiary organs maintain contacts with 59 institutions in 39 African countries. In June 2019, the CPPCC National Committee established the China-Africa Friendship Group, the first of its kind in the history of the CPPCC.

Over the past years, more African countries have joined the extended family of China-Africa friendship. China restored ambassadorial-level diplomatic relations with The Gambia on March 17, 2016, with Sao Tome and Principe on December 26, 2016, and with Burkina Faso on May 26, 2018. China now has diplomatic relations with 53 African countries, with the sole exception of Eswatini.

China has been active in developing cooperation with the AU and African sub-regional organizations. The AU Conference Center, which was built with Chinese assistance, was inaugurated in January 2012. It was the second-largest project in Africa to be built with China’s assistance after the Tanzania-Zambia Railway. In 2014, China sent a mission to the AU, marking a new stage of China-AU relations. China values the AU’s leading role in advancing African integration and building a stronger African continent through unity, and supports its dominant role in safeguarding peace and security in Africa. China also supports the AU in playing a bigger role in regional and international affairs, adopting Agenda 2063, and executing the First Ten-Year Implementation Plan.

In a capacity of observer, China has attended the summit of many African sub-regional organizations including the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the East African Community (EAC), and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development and the Economic Community of Central African States. China has sent ambassadors to the ECOWAS, SADC and EAC.

2. Rapidly Expanding Economic Cooperation

China and Africa have seen economic and trade cooperation expanding rapidly in scale and extent. The 10 major cooperation plans and the eight major initiatives adopted at the 2015 FOCAC Johannesburg Summit and the 2018 FOCAC Beijing Summit raised China-Africa economic and trade cooperation to a new level.

– Increasing development assistance. While pursuing its own growth, China supports African countries in seeking development and improving their people’s lives. In the new era, China has scaled up assistance to Africa. Foreign aid from 2013 to 2018 totaled RMB270 billion. Of this sum, 45 percent went to African countries in the form of grants, interest-free loans and concessional loans. From 2000 to 2020, China helped African countries build more than 13,000 km of roads and railway and more than 80 large-scale power facilities, and funded over 130 medical facilities, 45 sports venues and over 170 schools. It also trained more than 160,000 personnel for Africa, and built a series of flagship projects including the AU Conference Center. China’s assistance extended to various aspects of the economy, society and people’s lives, and was widely welcomed and supported by governments in Africa and the people. China has announced an exemption from debt incurred in the form of interest-free Chinese government loans due to mature by the end of 2018. It will apply to Africa’s least developed countries, heavily indebted and poor countries, landlocked developing countries and small island developing countries that have diplomatic relations with China. During the Covid-19 pandemic, China cancelled the outstanding debts of 15 African countries in the form of interest-free loans that matured at the end of 2020.

– Booming trade relations. China has been Africa’s largest trading partner for the 12 years since 2009. The proportion of Africa’s trade with China in the continent’s total external trade has continued to rise. In 2020, the figure exceeded 21 percent. The structure of China-Africa trade is improving. There has been a marked increase in technology in China’s exports to Africa, with the export of mechanical and electrical products and high-tech products now accounting for more than 50 percent of the total. China has increased its imports of non-resource products from Africa, and offered zero-tariff treatment to 97 percent of taxable items exported to China by the 33 least-developed countries in Africa, with the goal of helping more African agricultural and manufactured goods gain access to the Chinese market. China’s imports in services from Africa have been growing at an average annual rate of 20 percent since 2017, creating close to 400,000 jobs for the continent every year. In recent years, China’s imports of agricultural products from Africa have also risen, and China has emerged as the second largest destination for Africa’s agricultural exports. China and Africa have seen booming trade in new business models including cross-border e-commerce. Cooperation under the Silk Road E-commerce initiative has advanced. China has built a mechanism for e-commerce cooperation with Rwanda, and Chinese businesses have been active in investing in overseas order fulfillment centers. High-quality and special products from Africa are now directly available to the Chinese market via e-commerce platforms. The China-Mauritius free trade agreement (FTA), which became effective on January 1 2021, was the first FTA between China and an African country. It has injected new vitality into China-Africa economic and trade cooperation.

– Promoting cooperation in investment and financing. Cooperation in investment and financing has been one of the success stories of China-Africa cooperation in recent years, bringing new vitality into Africa’s economic and social development. Combining Africa’s needs and China’s strengths, China encourages its companies to increase and optimize investment in Africa, providing support in financing and export credit insurance for eligible projects. Thanks to the combined efforts of the Chinese government, financial institutions, and enterprises, China’s investment in Africa has built up sound momentum. It covers a wide range of fields including mining, processing and smelting of ores, equipment manufacturing, agriculture, home appliance production, aviation services, medicine and health, and the digital economy. With this help, African countries have been able to upgrade their industrialization, improve their industries, and increase their capacity to earn foreign exchange through exports.

By the end of 2020, direct investment of Chinese companies in Africa had surpassed $43 billion. China has established over 3,500 companies of various types across the continent. Private companies have gradually become the main investment force in Africa; more than 80 percent of their employees are locals, and they have directly and indirectly created millions of jobs.

– Facilitating agricultural development in Africa. China has always been willing to share agricultural development experience and technology with Africa, to support African countries in improving agricultural production and processing, and to help them in building their agricultural value chains and trade. Since 2012, 7,456 African trainees have received agricultural training in China. Through projects such as sending Chinese agricultural experts to Africa, more than 50,000 Africans have been trained and 23 agricultural demonstration centers have been built. To date, China has established agricultural cooperation mechanisms with 23 African countries and regional organizations, and signed 72 bilateral and multilateral agricultural cooperation agreements. Since 2012, China has signed 31 agricultural cooperation agreements with 20 African countries and regional organizations. In 2019, the First China-Africa Agriculture Cooperation Forum was held, which announced the establishment of the China-AU Agriculture Cooperation Commission and the formulation of a program of action to promote China-Africa cooperation in agricultural modernization. By the end of 2020, more than 200 Chinese companies had an investment stock of $1.11 billion in agricultural sector in 35 African countries. Their investments cover areas such as planting, breeding and processing. More than 350 types of African agricultural products can be traded with China. All this ensures steady growth in China-Africa agricultural trade.

– Contributing to industrialization in Africa. Industrialization is a prerequisite for the continent to achieve inclusive and sustainable development, and is also the key to creating jobs, eradicating poverty, and improving living standards. China supports African countries in improving their “soft” and “hard” environment for investment in accordance with their national conditions and development needs. Taking industrial alignment and capacity cooperation as the engine, China helps advance the process of Africa’s industrialization and economic diversification. To date, China has established industrial capacity cooperation mechanisms with 15 countries in Africa. China and African countries have worked together to build economic and trade cooperation zones, special economic zones, industrial parks and science parks, attracting enterprises from China and other countries to invest in Africa. They have built production and processing bases and localized their operations in Africa, contributing to an increase in local employment and tax revenues, and promoting industrial upgrading and technical cooperation. The China-Africa Fund for Production Capacity Cooperation has focused on the construction of highways, railways, and aviation networks, and industrialization in Africa. As of March 2021, investments had been made in 21 projects, covering energy, resources and manufacturing and boosting industrial development in recipient countries. Dozens of Chinese-funded enterprises have cooperated with African counterparts to build photovoltaic power stations, with a cumulative installed capacity exceeding 1.5 GW, which has helped create photovoltaic industry chains from scratch in Africa, while effectively alleviating power shortages and reducing carbon emissions.

– Expanding cooperation in infrastructure. China supports Africa in making infrastructure development a priority for economic revitalization. It encourages and supports Chinese enterprises to adopt various models to participate in the construction, investment, operation and management of infrastructure projects in Africa. From 2016 to 2020, total investment in infrastructure projects in Africa reached almost $200 billion. Projects implemented by Chinese companies accounted for 31.4 percent of all infrastructure projects on the African continent in 2020. Since the founding of FOCAC, Chinese companies have utilized various funds to help African countries build and upgrade more than 10,000 km of railways, nearly 100,000 km of highways, nearly 1,000 bridges and 100 ports, and 66,000 km of power transmission and distribution. They have also helped build an installed power-generating capacity of 120 million kW, a communications backbone network of 150,000 km and a network service covering nearly 700 million user terminals. Built and operated by Chinese companies, the Mombasa-Nairobi Railway was the first modern railway to be built in Kenya in 100 years. Applying Chinese standards, technologies and equipment, the project has won praise as a road of friendship and cooperation, and a path towards win-win development between China and Africa in the new era. The railway has carried 5.4 million passengers and 1.3 million standard containers. It has contributed 1.5 percent to Kenya’s economic growth, and created 46,000 direct and indirect jobs. China has guided its enterprises to explore multiple forms of cooperation, such as BOT (build-operate-transfer), BOO (build-own-operate) and PPP (public-private partnership). Such efforts aim to transform China-Africa infrastructure cooperation to a wholly integrated model covering investment, construction and operation, and push forward the sustainable development of infrastructure projects.

– Strengthening financial cooperation. Financial institutions from both sides have been exploring each other’s markets. Their central banks have expanded the scale of local currency settlement and currency swap, leading to a steady improvement in China-Africa financial facilitation. As of October 2021, the Cross-Border Interbank Payment System (CIPS) had 42 indirect participants in Africa, covering 19 African countries. The People’s Bank of China (PBOC), China’s central bank, has signed successive currency swap agreements with the central banks of South Africa, Morocco, Egypt and Nigeria, to a total amount of RMB73 billion. China has signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in financial supervision with seven African countries including Egypt, South Africa and Nigeria, laying a solid foundation for steady and long-term bilateral financial cooperation. China has joined the African Development Bank (AfDB), the Eastern and Southern African Trade and Development Bank, the West African Development Bank and other multilateral development financial institutions. It has pledged to contribute a total of $996 million to the African Development Fund under the AfDB.

– Expanding cooperation in the digital economy. China is helping African countries to eliminate the digital divide. Rapid development and fruitful results have been achieved in this field – building digital infrastructure, transition towards a digital society, and the application of new technologies such as the Internet of Things and mobile finance. Chinese companies have participated in a number of submarine cable projects connecting Africa and Europe, Asia, and the Americas. They have cooperated with major African operators in achieving full basic coverage of telecommunications services in Africa. They have built more than half of the continent’s wireless sites and high-speed mobile broadband networks. In total, more than 200,000 km of optical fiber has been laid, giving broadband Internet access to 6 million households, and serving more than 900 million local people. To date, more than 1,500 companies in 17 cities in 15 African countries have selected Chinese corporate partners on their digital transformation path. Twenty-nine countries have selected smart government service solutions provided by Chinese companies. China and Africa have jointly established a public cloud service in South Africa that covers the entire African region. The two sides also released the first 5G independent networking commercial network in the region. The level and content of China-Africa e-commerce cooperation continue to grow. The Silk Road E-Commerce Capacity Building Cloud Lectures have effectively improved the digital literacy of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in partner countries. Promotion activities have been held to help high-quality products from Africa to access the Chinese market. Such activities include a government-initiated shopping festival that began in 2019, featuring Silk Road e-commerce, as well as the FOCAC African Products Online Promoting Season. Chinese companies actively participate in building platforms of public services in Africa such as electronic payment and smart logistics. All these efforts are designed to achieve win-win cooperation through promoting connectivity. At the China-Africa Internet Development and Cooperation Forum in August 2021, China announced its intention to formulate and implement a joint China-Africa Partnership Plan on Digital Innovation in Africa.

3. Growing Cooperation on Social Development

China is promoting cooperation with Africa in social fields such as poverty reduction, health, education, science and technology, environmental protection, climate change and exchanges among young people and women. Through strengthening exchanges, providing assistance and sharing experience, China is helping African countries to improve their comprehensive social development, which then provides internal impetus for their economic growth.

– Sharing experience in poverty reduction. Poverty is a common challenge facing China and Africa. Ending poverty is the primary goal of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. With hundreds of millions of poor people having worked their way out of poverty, China has created a successful path of poverty eradication with Chinese characteristics, which has served as a reference for addressing the problem in Africa. China has effectively implemented the Program for Strengthening China-Africa Cooperation on Poverty Reduction. With mechanisms like the FOCAC Africa-China Poverty Reduction and Development Conference, and the China-Africa Youth Exchange Program on Poverty Reduction and Development, China has supported local governments, academics, enterprises, and youth and non-governmental organizations in both China and Africa in carrying out various forms of exchange and pragmatic cooperation on poverty reduction. Since 2010, 10 FOCAC Africa-China Poverty Reduction and Development conferences have been held in countries such as China, Ethiopia, South Africa and Uganda, with nearly 1,600 participants in total. From 2005 to 2021, China organized 160 poverty reduction and foreign aid training programs. Some 2,700 people from 53 African countries participated in the training, accounting for almost 60 percent of the total number of trainees.

– Enhancing medical and health cooperation. The Chinese government has always ranked people and lives above everything else. Through concrete actions, China has helped African countries respond to various epidemics and plagues and build a public health system, promoting a China-Africa community of health. One of the longest and most effective cooperation projects that involves the greatest number of African countries is the dispatch of Chinese medical teams. The first one, which was sent to Algeria in 1963, marked the first chapter in the story of China’s medical aid to Africa. Over the past 58 years, China has sent a total of 23,000 medical team members to Africa, who have treated 230 million patients. At present, there are nearly 1,000 Chinese medical workers in 45 African countries, working at 98 medical centers. They are hailed by the local Africans as the health messengers in white, models of South-South cooperation and most welcome guests. Chinese medical teams carried out 34 free clinical programs under the Brightness Action initiative, restoring the eyesight of almost 10,000 African cataract patients. China focuses on helping African countries strengthen medical specialties, training 20,000 African medical personnel. To date, it has helped 18 African countries establish 20 centers in different medical specialties, covering cardiology, critical care medicine, trauma and endoscopy. Paired cooperation mechanisms have been established between the Chinese side and 45 hospitals in 40 African countries. China supports African countries in improving their capacity in border health and quarantine inspection, and sends disease control experts to the Africa Center for Disease Control and Prevention to provide technical support.

– Expanding cooperation in education and human resources. China vigorously supports education in Africa. Based on the needs of African countries for economic and social development, it helps train much-needed professionals for African countries and encourages outstanding African youth to study in China through several scholarships. Starting from 2012, the two sides have implemented the 20+20 Cooperation Plan for Chinese and African Institutions of Higher Education as an exchange and cooperation platform among universities. China set up an educational trust fund under UNESCO to provide teacher training for more than 10,000 teachers in African countries. Since 2018, China has established Luban Workshops together with colleges and universities in countries including Egypt, South Africa, Djibouti and Kenya, sharing quality vocational education resources with Africa and training high-caliber technical personnel to meet the urgent needs of economic and social development on the continent.

China has helped more than 30 African universities set up Chinese language departments or Chinese language majors. In cooperation with China, 16 African countries have incorporated the Chinese language into their national education systems. The two sides have established 61 Confucius Institutes and 48 Confucius Classrooms in Africa. Since 2004, China has sent a total of 5,500 Chinese language teachers and volunteers to 48 African nations.

– Stepping up scientific and technological collaboration, and knowledge sharing. China actively strengthens communication and coordination with Africa in terms of technological innovation strategies. It shares experience and achievements, and promotes the exchange and training of professionals and technology transfer, as well as innovation and entrepreneurship on both sides. China and African countries have set up high-level joint laboratories, the China-Africa Joint Research Center, and an innovation cooperation center. In recent years, China has assisted Africa in cultivating a large number of scientific and technological talents through projects such as the Alliance of International Science Organizations in the Belt and Road Region Scholarship, Chinese government scholarships, the Talented Young Scientist Program, and the Innovative Talent Exchange Project. Breakthroughs have been made in space cooperation. Using China’s remote sensing data, the two parties carry out cooperation in the fields of disaster prevention and mitigation, radio astronomy, satellite navigation and positioning, and precision agriculture. They also participate together in the Square Kilometer Array Project. The complete satellite assembly integration and test center built by Egypt with China’s help has laid solid foundations for Egypt’s aerospace industry. China also assisted Algeria and Sudan to launch their first artificial satellites.

– Expanding collaboration in eco-environmental protection and jointly responding to climate change. The peoples of China and Africa share a common yearning for a beautiful environment and a better life. As a result, they work together to advocate green, low-carbon, recyclable and sustainable development and safeguard the common homeland of humanity. Since 2012, they have co-organized a seminar on green cooperation guiding the future economy and a ministerial conference on China-Africa environmental cooperation, promoting communication and coordination of environmental governance policies. The China-Africa Environmental Cooperation Center began operations in 2020 with the participation of China and African countries, as well as other international organizations, research institutions, and enterprises. As of September 2021, related institutions in seven African countries, including Angola and Kenya, have joined the International Coalition for Green Development on the Belt and Road, devised to contribute to the green development of the Belt and Road Initiative. China has carried out South-South cooperation on tackling climate change, and to date has signed 15 cooperation agreements with 14 African countries. Various approaches have been explored in support of Africa’s response to the issue, such as implementing mitigation and adaptation programs, jointly setting up pilot low-carbon industrial parks, and conducting training in capacity-building. For example, the Ethiopian Remote Sensing Satellite-1, or ETRSS-1, launched with Chinese help, is one of the fruits of China’s first remote sensing satellite cooperation with Africa. China and Africa crack down together on transnational organized crimes related to endangered wildlife trafficking, through intelligence sharing in environmental protection laws and regulations and helping each other to build capacity in law enforcement. While implementing the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, and dealing with other related affairs, China strengthens communication and coordination with African countries, in an endeavor to protect and ensure the sustainable exploitation of global wild fauna and flora.

4. People-to-People and Cultural Exchanges

As an old Chinese saying goes, “State-to-state relations thrive when there is friendship between the peoples.” China and African countries have embraced further exchanges in culture, media, science and technology, and think tanks, and facilitated dialogues among youth and women. These efforts have promoted people-to-people bonds and laid solid foundations for further developments.

– Expanding exchanges and cooperation in the cultural sector and tourism. The two sides continue to sign implementation plans for intergovernmental agreements on signature programs such as the Year of China, the Year of Culture, Happy Spring Festival, Chinese and African Cultures in Focus, and Insight on China, further enhancing cultural exchanges and cooperation. As of December 2020, 346 such implementation plans had been inked and carried out. From 2013 to 2020, Chinese art troupes made 140 visits to Africa to hold performances. Since 2013, art troupes from 28 African countries have been invited to perform in China. Since 2016, China has held hundreds of cultural seminars for African countries, with nearly 1,500 African participants in total. Chinese cultural centers have been set up in Mauritius, Benin, Egypt, Nigeria, Tanzania and Morocco. The Chinese Government has signed documents with counterparts in Tunisia, Kenya, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Ethiopia and Mozambique on establishing Chinese cultural centers in these countries or their cultural centers in China. To date China has signed bilateral documents on cooperation in tourism with 31 African countries. It has listed 34 African countries as outbound group tour destinations for its citizens, and officially launched group tourism businesses for its people with 22 African countries.

– Working on closer cooperation in the press, the media, and film and television. China and Africa continue to strengthen dialogue and exchanges on furthering news cooperation, managing cyberspace, and handling media relations. To this end, exchange events have been held such as the China-Africa Media Summit and the Forum on China-Africa Media Cooperation. Thirty African media outlets have joined the Belt and Road News Alliance, and 42 African countries have participated in the Belt and Road Media Community Summit Forum. China supports the development of the African radio, film and television industries. This can be seen from the effort to provide satellite TV reception to 10,000 African villages, and to support outdoor screening activities – the Caravan program – in rural areas and remote suburbs, covering more than 70 villages and regions in 12 countries. China and Africa encourage joint development and production of more works that tell stories about Africa and China-Africa friendship. Chinese companies provide program resources in 11 languages on more than 600 channels for 13 million African users. In recent years, China has carried out multilingual translations of about 200 outstanding Chinese audiovisual works for Africa and held Chinese film screenings and exhibitions in more than 10 African countries. Each year, a number of African films are screened at Chinese film festivals as well.

– Encouraging academic exchanges and cooperation among think tanks. China and Africa support various forms of cooperation among academic research institutions, think tanks and universities in carrying out subject research, academic exchanges and publication of works. Support is given to sharing research and achievements, especially on topics such as state governance, development paths, industrial capacity cooperation, culture, and law. Both sides have also been working on enhancing research strengths. More than 80 think tanks and academic research institutions have participated in the China-Africa Joint Research and Exchange Plan. The Fifth Ministerial Conference of FOCAC held in 2012 proposed to implement the China-Africa Think Tanks 10+10 Partnership Plan for long-term paired cooperation. In April 2019, China-Africa Institute was established in Beijing.

– Increasing non-governmental exchanges. China and African countries have actively implemented the Proposals on China-Africa People-to-People Exchanges and Cooperation, the China-Africa People-to-People Friendship Action, the Silk Road Community Building Program, and the China-Africa People-to-People Friendship and Partnership Program. They support trade unions, other non-governmental organizations and social groups in engaging in exchanges. Since 2011, the two sides have held six China-Africa People’s Forums. In addition, five China-Africa Young Leaders Forums, four Asian-African Youth Festivals and three China-Africa Youth Galas have been held since 2012. The 1st China-Africa Future Leaders’ Dialogue was held in 2021. As of 2020, the Chinese Government has dispatched 484 young volunteers to 16 African countries. It has established contacts and exchanges with more than 100 women’s organizations in 53 African countries. Centers dedicated to friendly exchanges or training among women have been established in Mauritius, Lesotho, Djibouti, Zimbabwe and Sudan.

5. Cooperation on Peace and Security

Without security and stability, there can be no development. As a constructive participant in peace and security affairs in Africa, China has always championed the principle of African people solving African issues in their own ways, and advocated the need to address root causes as well as symptoms and seek cooperation for the benefit of all parties. It supports the right of African countries and the AU to play a leading role in the region’s peace and security affairs. China supports their efforts to promote peace and stability and fight against terrorism. China endorses the “Silence the Guns in Africa” initiative in countries and regional organizations such as the AU. China will continue to support the UN in providing financial support for the AU’s independent peacekeeping operations. Based on the principles of respecting the will of African countries, not interfering in African countries’ internal affairs, and observing the basic norms governing international relations, China is actively exploring constructive participation in promoting and maintaining peace and security in Africa.

China and Africa continue to expand exchanges and hold dialogues in the field of peace and security. Since 2019, China has co-hosted or hosted the Dialogue on the Implementation of China-Africa Peace and Security Initiative, the First China-Africa Peace and Security Forum, and the Video Conference on Military Medicine under the forum. It has also actively participated in important conferences or forums held by African countries in related fields. The Chinese Government’s Special Representative for African Affairs has actively engaged in mediation efforts in Africa, and played a unique and constructive role in Africa’s peace and security endeavors. Through various means such as port calls and joint exercises and training, China has provided strong support to African countries in strengthening national defense and the armed forces, and to countries in the Sahel region and those bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Gulf of Guinea in upholding security and combating terrorism in their regions. China has launched assistance programs and helped train African military personnel under the Belt and Road Initiative, and in areas of law and order, UN peacekeeping missions, fighting piracy and combating terrorism. China supports the UN in playing an important role in maintaining peace and stability in Africa. Among the permanent members of the UN Security Council, China has sent the largest number of peacekeepers to the continent.

Since China first took part in UN peacekeeping operations in 1990, more than 80 percent of its peacekeepers have been deployed in Africa. Over 30,000 Chinese peacekeepers have been sent to Africa to perform tasks in 17 peacekeeping mission areas. More than 1,800 peacekeepers are currently performing missions in five of these areas – Mali, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (the DRC), Abyei, South Sudan and Western Sahara. In accordance with UN Security Council resolutions, the PLA Navy has deployed regular convoys in the Gulf of Aden since 2008. To date it has dispatched 39 escort taskforces, providing protection to approximately 7,000 Chinese and foreign vessels in about 1,400 groups. China also decided to donate 300,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccine to UN peacekeepers, with priority given to those in African mission areas. As of August 2020, a total of 11 Chinese military peacekeepers had sacrificed their lives for the noble cause of peace in Africa.

China and Africa embrace the expansion of orderly personnel exchanges. They have worked on consular cooperation, increased cooperation between law enforcement departments, and acted against various cross-border crimes. In 2019 Chinese citizens made 607,000 visits to the African continent, while the number of African visitors to China reached 685,000. Growth in personnel exchanges promotes the rapid development of consular relations. In terms of strengthening law enforcement capacity in African countries, since 2018 China has trained over 2,000 African law enforcement officers and provided police supplies. It has dispatched peacekeeping police to African mission areas under the aegis of the UN, and collaborated in dealing with criminal cases, intelligence exchanges, experience-sharing and joint operations under the framework of Interpol.

III. Strengthening Mutual Support

Friendly relations between the PRC and Africa have endured through more than half a century and withstood the test of time. The two sides have always stood firmly together at critical junctures and on major issues. African countries have provided important support for China’s endeavors to safeguard its sovereignty, security and development interests, promote reunification, and achieve national rejuvenation through development. China has firmly supported African countries in realizing national independence, following development paths that fit their national conditions, promoting regional integration, and strengthening themselves through unity. China and Africa have joined forces in confronting the grave challenge posed by Covid-19, further reinforcing their friendship. The solidarity between the Chinese and African peoples enables them to overcome difficulties and obstacles and build a bright future.

1. Upholding International Equity and Justice

China and Africa are important partners in advancing the reform of the global governance system and the reshaping of the international order. Fifty years ago, at its 26th Session, the UN General Assembly adopted Resolution 2758 by an overwhelming majority, restoring the lawful seat of the PRC in the United Nations. Since then, China has played a role of growing importance on the international stage. Among the 76 votes in favor of the resolution, 26 were cast by African countries, while 11 of the 23 sponsors of the draft resolution were from Africa. In the current complex and volatile international situation, China and Africa are jointly advancing multilateralism. They unequivocally oppose protectionism and unilateralism, support each other on issues involving the core interests and major concerns of either side, and safeguard the common interests of developing countries. The theory and practice of China-Africa cooperation provide examples for developing countries in handling international affairs, and important references to the reform of the global governance system.

– Practicing true multilateralism. Holding high the banner of multilateralism, China and Africa steadfastly support the international system with the United Nations at the core, the international order underpinned by international law, and the basic norms governing international relations based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. The two sides earnestly maintain international fairness and justice and push the international order in a fairer and more reasonable direction. They reject unilateralism and protectionism, and safeguard an open world economy and the multilateral trade system. China and Africa firmly support an increase in the representation and say of developing countries in the international governance system, especially African countries. When casting its vote in the United Nations, China always stands for developing countries.

– Jointly safeguarding legitimate rights. China and Africa understand and support each other on major issues such as those related to their sovereignty, territorial integrity, national dignity, and development interests. All African countries with diplomatic ties with China strictly abide by the one-China principle and firmly support China’s reunification. China steadfastly supports African countries in safeguarding sovereignty and independence, calls on the international community to assist African countries in safeguarding their right to subsistence and development, objects to any form of racism and racial discrimination, and actively pushes for the lifting of unreasonable unilateral sanctions against African countries.

Within the Security Council, China and three African members have established a “1 + 3” consultation mechanism to exchange views on and coordinate responses to major international and regional issues. Since 2017 while holding the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council, China has initiated open debates on “Enhancing African Capacities in Peace and Security”, “Peace and Security in Africa: Strengthening Peacekeeping Operations in Africa”, “Peace and Security in Africa: Countering Terrorism and Extremism in Africa”, and “Peace and Security in Africa: Addressing Root Causes of Conflict in Post-pandemic Recovery in Africa”. These have pushed the international community to strengthen unity and cooperation and provide stronger support for Africa’s lasting peace.

China and Africa have both proposed that the rights to subsistence and development are seen as the primary and basic human rights, that equal importance is attached to all human rights, that exchanges and cooperation on human rights are carried out on the basis of equality and mutual respect, and that individual countries’ right in choosing their development paths is respected. They both oppose politicization of human right issues and double standards, and object to interference in other countries’ internal affairs under the pretext of championing human rights.

In response to Western anti-China forces’ mudslinging and false accusations on China in regard to Xinjiang- and Hong Kong-related issues, African countries, alongside other developing countries, have voiced their collective or individual support for China’s position, at the UN Human Rights Council and the General Assembly’s Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Affairs Committee, commonly referred to as the “Third Committee.” African countries agree with China’s human rights principles, and support the resolution on the contribution of development to the enjoyment of all human rights and the resolution on promoting win-win cooperation in the field of human rights proposed by China at the Human Rights Council.

China calls on the international community to press forward with reform of global economic governance and offer concrete support for Africa’s development. During the G20 Hangzhou Summit, at the initiation of China, a G20 Initiative in Support of Industrialization of Africa and Other Least Developed Countries was issued. In 2015, China announced the establishment of a China-UN Peace and Development Fund. Between 2016 and 2020, its 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Sub-Fund sponsored 34 projects in fields such as poverty alleviation, health, energy access, technology innovation, and infrastructure, with African countries being the major beneficiaries. In May 2021, China and Africa launched the Initiative on Partnership for Africa’s Development together. The two sides share the view that supporting the development of Africa is the consensus and shared responsibility of the international community.

China calls on international partners to increase support to Africa in such areas as response to Covid-19 and other pandemics and post-Covid reconstruction, and to pool resources in those areas where Africa’s most urgent needs lie, with a view to providing greater impetus to Africa’s development.

2. Jointly Combating Covid-19

Confronted by Covid-19, China and Africa have withstood a severe challenge, helping each other and fighting side by side to defeat the pandemic through solidarity and cooperation.

In June 2020, the Extraordinary China-Africa Summit on Solidarity against Covid-19 was held via video link, making China the first country in the world to convene an anti-pandemic summit with Africa. It has provided a guide for international anti-pandemic cooperation with Africa, and injected new impetus into global anti-pandemic cooperation. At the summit, President Xi elaborated on important policies on advancing China-Africa cooperation and strengthening international cooperation amid the pandemic. He called for the accelerated implementation of the outcomes of the FOCAC Beijing Summit, with greater priority to be given to cooperation in the areas of public health, economic reopening, and people’s livelihoods. He also announced a series of measures regarding anti-pandemic assistance to Africa, debt relief, debt service suspension, and economic reopening, which have been highly praised and widely welcomed in Africa. Participating leaders issued the Joint Statement of the Extraordinary China-Africa Summit on Solidarity against Covid-19, agreeing to join forces in resolutely fighting the pandemic, pressing for cooperation, practicing multilateralism, and enhancing friendship. Since the summit the two sides have closely worked together on pandemic prevention and control, resuming economic activity, and restoring and progressing China-Africa cooperation.

During the toughest times in China’s fight against the epidemic, African countries and regional organizations such as the AU rendered strong support and assistance to China through various means. In February 2020, the Executive Council of the AU issued a communiqué in support of China’s anti-epidemic efforts – the first time an important regional organization and an entire continent had offered China such support. Those expressing their support and sympathy also included the heads of state of 48 African countries, heads of government of 11 countries, 12 speakers of legislative bodies, and the chairperson of the AU Commission, who all sent letters or telegrams. The governments of 10 countries issued statements; foreign ministers of 18 countries sent letters; and participants of an AU Peace and Security Council meeting, an emergency meeting of African health ministers and other meetings of major regional organizations also expressed sympathy. Though few African countries are wealthy, they still actively donated money and supplies to China, and some African students studying in China also joined the local fight against the epidemic.

After Covid-19 struck Africa, China immediately offered humanitarian assistance, the largest such program in scale and the most difficult to implement since the founding of the PRC. Since 2020, in coordination with local governments, enterprises and social organizations, the Central Government of China has provided emergency anti-pandemic supplies – including 120 batches of nucleic test reagents, protective gear, masks, eye protectors and ventilators – to 53 African countries and the AU based on their respective needs, with these emergency supplies reaching almost all areas across the continent. China has also actively shared its anti-epidemic experience with African countries, and dispatched anti-epidemic medical expert groups or short-term anti-epidemic medical teams to 17 African countries to fight the epidemic alongside local people. It also pushed for the earlier start of the construction of the headquarters of the Africa Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), a project assisted by China.

China actively honors its commitment to make vaccines a global public good. At the time when Chinese vaccines had just reached the market and domestic supply was tight, China began to supply vaccines to Africa in support of its battle against the pandemic. By November 12, 2021, China had provided over 1.7 billon doses of Covid-19 vaccine to more than 110 countries and organizations, including 50 African countries and the AU Commission, and is striving to provide a total of 2 billion doses by the end of 2021. In addition to donating $100 million to COVAX, China will donate 100 million doses of vaccine to developing countries including those in Africa. Chinese firms are actively engaging in joint vaccine production in Africa with local firms, helping countries, in accordance with their wishes, to realize localized vaccine production. To date they have started localized production in Egypt, and signed cooperative agreements with Morocco and Algeria.

To help African countries cope with the pandemic and overcome temporary difficulties, China supports the effort to reduce the debt burden on African countries, and is actively implementing the G20’s Debt Service Suspension Initiative (DSSI). Among G20 members, China ranks first in terms of the amount of deferred debt, having signed debt service suspension agreements or reached consensus with 19 African countries. China supports extending the DSSI till the end of 2021, and is working with relevant members to implement the Common Framework for Debt Treatments beyond the Debt Service Suspension Initiative. For countries experiencing a very serious epidemic situation and under particularly severe pressure, China, together with other stakeholders, will provide support on a case-by-case basis.

3. Winning the Battle against Ebola Together

In 2014, Ebola broke out in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea. At a time when African people were in difficulties, China offered a helping hand, setting an example for the international community. China was the first to aid Guinea and Sierra Leone, and was the only country to provide laboratories to the epidemic-hit areas in West Africa and set up observation and treatment centers there. China provided rapid, practical and comprehensive anti-Ebola assistance to a total value of RMB750 million, and dispatched nine chartered planes to transport supplies and personnel. It sent more than 1,200 clinical and public health experts to Africa to combat Ebola alongside local medical workers. Chinese medical workers trained some 13,000 local medical workers. China also helped Ebola-stricken countries to build laboratories and treatment centers. Those assistance programs constituted the largest at the time among China’s overseas assistance programs in response to public crises in terms of duration, coverage, scale and intensity. Chinese diplomats, medical teams, peacekeepers, and corporate employees chose to stay in Africa rather than evacuate. They managed to overcome their own fear of the epidemic, and thereby gave confidence to local people as well. Chinese and Africans confronted the disaster with sincere friendship, sharing weal and woe.

In 2018, when Ebola broke out again in the DRC, China provided timely emergency humanitarian aid including supplies, money, experts, medicine and training to the country and its neighboring countries including Rwanda, Burundi and Uganda, as well as the AU, helping them to promptly contain the epidemic.

4. Jointly Coping with Natural Disasters

China has always attached importance to disaster relief in Africa, helping it to respond to various natural disasters and humanitarian crises, and providing emergency humanitarian assistance through multilateral organizations such as the UN, the World Food Programme, and the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Chinese people will not forget that in 2008 when China was struck by a devastating earthquake, Equatorial Guinea, a country with only 2 million people, donated 2 million euros, averaging 1 euro per person. The Republic of the Congo donated $1 million after the Wenchuan earthquake, and $2 million for building a primary school after the Yushu earthquake.

In return, China has carried out programs in fields such as food, water supply, women and children’s health, and education in 40-plus disaster-stricken African countries, benefiting more than 10 million people, and strongly boosting their economic recovery and social development.

In 2019, cyclone Idai swept across Southeast Africa. China provided emergency humanitarian supplies to Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Malawi, and dispatched an international rescue team of 65 members to the severely-stricken Mozambique, treating more than 3,000 locals. At the end of 2019, locusts plagued the Horn of Africa, threatening the livelihoods of more than 30 million people. In early 2020, though hit by Covid-19, China still provided locust-eradication emergency supplies and aid to Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda, and allocated funds from the China-FAO South-South Cooperation Trust Fund to assist the three countries to buy prevention and control supplies and carry on capacity building activities.

IV. Breaking New Ground in China-Africa Relations

Currently, the global governance system and the international order are changing at an accelerating rate, and the international balance of power is undergoing a profound adjustment. Covid-19 further shows that the fates of all countries in the world are interconnected. Standing at a historical crossroads, China and Africa need to further consolidate their partnership, and build a China-Africa community of shared future in the new era. The two sides will steadfastly reinforce their traditional friendship, promote mutually beneficial cooperation, and safeguard common interests. They will continue to set the pace of cooperation through FOCAC, support the Belt and Road Initiative, bring the China-Africa comprehensive strategic and cooperative partnership to a higher level, and deliver a brighter future together.

1. Boosting Cooperation Through FOCAC

At the initiative of both China and African countries, FOCAC was inaugurated at its first Ministerial Conference in Beijing in October 2000, with the goals of responding to the challenges emerging from economic globalization, and seeking common development. Over the past two decades, FOCAC has become an important platform for collective dialogue between China and Africa and an effective mechanism for pragmatic cooperation. It has turned into a pacesetter for international cooperation with Africa in the new era.

FOCAC now has 55 members comprising China, the 53 African countries that have diplomatic relations with China, and the AU Commission. The FOCAC Ministerial Conference is held once every three years, rotating between China and African countries and co-chaired by China and an African hosting country, with the co-chairs also taking the lead in implementing conference outcomes. Based on mutual agreements, some of the ministerial conferences have been upgraded into summits. To date three summits (the Beijing Summit in November 2006, the Johannesburg Summit in December 2015, and the Beijing Summit in September 2018) and seven ministerial conferences have been convened. These have yielded rich fruits, releasing a series of important documents to guide cooperation, and promoting the implementation of a series of major measures to facilitate development in Africa and solidify China-Africa friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation.

At the end of November 2021, FOCAC will meet in African co-chair country Senegal. The meeting will evaluate the implementation of the outcomes of the 2018 Beijing Summit, and make plans for friendly cooperation in the next phase. This will be an important diplomatic event for China and Africa to discuss cooperation plans and promote common development, and will be of great importance in promoting post-pandemic economic recovery and development in Africa, China and the world at large. China will work closely with Africa to align China’s Second Centenary Goal of building a great modern socialist country by the middle of the century with the AU’s Agenda 2063. Together the two sides will plan and discuss the outcomes to be adopted at this FOCAC meeting regarding such key areas as health, investment and trade, industrialization, agricultural modernization, climate change responses and digital economy, and both will make every effort to produce a meeting that will build new consensus, explore new fields of cooperation, and be of benefit to both the Chinese and African peoples.

2. Promoting Cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative

As part of the history of the Belt and Road, Africa is a natural partner of the initiative. In the past, the Maritime Silk Road brought Chinese tea, porcelain and development experience to Africa, promoting friendship and mutual learning, and it was thus recorded in history as a road of friendship. Since its inception, the new initiative has earned active support and participation from African countries. The cooperation between China and Africa under the initiative has a bright future.

The Belt and Road Initiative is not a “solo”, but an “orchestra” in which the participation of both China and African countries is essential. In December 2015, South Africa became the first African country to sign an agreement on cooperation with China under the Belt and Road Initiative. Leaders of Kenya, Ethiopia, Egypt, Djibouti and Mozambique participated in the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in 2017 and 2019, contributing to the initiative’s cooperative mechanism. At the 2018 FOCAC Beijing Summit, China and Africa agreed to strengthen China-Africa cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative. To date, almost all African countries with diplomatic ties with China have already signed agreements on cooperation under the initiative. China and the AU Commission signed the Cooperation Plan on Jointly Promoting the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road between the Government of the PRC and the African Union, the first agreement of its kind signed between China and a regional organization.

In recent years, connectivity between China and Africa under the Belt and Road Initiative has also expanded at a faster pace. A number of transport infrastructure projects have been completed and opened to traffic, including the Addis Ababa-Djibouti Railway, the Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway in Kenya, No. 1 National Highway of the Republic of the Congo, the Thies-Touba highway in Senegal, the Port Gentil-Omboue coastal road and the Booué Bridge in Gabon, and the first and second phases of the Nigeria Railway Modernization Project. Projects such as the Doraleh Multi-Purpose Port in Djibouti and the Lome Container Terminal in Togo have been successful in increasing entrepot trade. These projects have played an important role in boosting regional connectivity and integration. To date China has signed civil aviation transport agreements with 21 African countries, bilateral airworthiness agreements with 12 African countries, and bilateral intergovernmental marine shipping agreements with eight African countries.

Currently, both China and Africa have entered a new development stage. China is promoting a new development paradigm with domestic economy and international engagement providing mutual reinforcement, and the former as the mainstay. China’s development will create more opportunities for Africa’s development. With the official launch of the African Continental Free Trade Area, Africa’s economic integration is accelerating, providing more room for growth in China-Africa cooperation. The two sides will focus on boosting quality development and further align the goals of the Belt and Road Initiative with those of the AU’s Agenda 2063, the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the development strategies of individual African countries. They will build the Belt and Road into a road to peace, prosperity, openness, green development, innovation and cultural exchanges, and create a China-Africa community of shared future in the new era.

3. Raising China-Africa Relations to a New Level

The key to the vitality of China-Africa relations is keeping abreast of the times and developing and innovating relationships. For more than half a century, at every critical juncture, the two sides have employed far-sighted vision and always succeeded in finding new common ground and growth drivers. At this new historical starting point, under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and Xi Jinping Thought on Foreign Affairs, China will adhere to the principles of sincerity, affinity, good faith and practical results, uphold the values of shared interests and the greater good, and work together with African countries to advance high-quality cooperation and build a China-Africa community of shared future.

– Laying a solid foundation for friendship and raising mutual political trust to a new level. China and Africa will maintain the momentum of high-level exchanges, expand friendly cooperation between political parties, legislative bodies, political advisory bodies, and local governments of the two sides. They will share governance ideas and development experience, and reinforce strategic communication and mutual trust. They will give full play to the positive role of think tanks, media, institutions of higher learning and non-governmental organizations, create a new model of multi-dimensional, multi-level and all-round cultural exchanges, strengthen people-to-people connectivity, and reinforce the traditional unbreakable China-Africa friendship.

– Combating Covid-19 and building a China-Africa community of health for all. China will continue to provide anti-pandemic assistance to African countries, share its experience in coordinating routine epidemic prevention and control with social and economic development, and speed up cooperation with Africa on vaccines. China-Africa health cooperation is not a short-term measure, but a long-term and far-sighted strategy. It focuses on assisting Africa to improve its public health system and its capacity for controlling and preventing major communicable diseases, so as to promote a China-Africa community of health for all in the new era.

– Boosting common development and nurturing new drivers for expanding mutually beneficial cooperation. As China and Africa enter their new stages of development, the advantages of their complementarity have become more obvious and their mutually beneficial cooperation is marked by higher quality, greater impact, and brighter prospects. The two sides will actively support their respective businesses to tap cooperation potential, nurture new growth drivers such as e-commerce, 5G network and green economy, and expand cooperation in future-oriented key fields. They will support the Global Development Initiative and a global community of shared development, so as to achieve high-quality and sustainable common development to the benefit of the Chinese and African peoples.

– Promoting closer international cooperation to establish a fairer and more equitable international order. China and Africa are important forces in safeguarding the common interests of developing countries and in promoting world peace and development. The two sides will further strengthen strategic communication and coordination on international affairs, and firmly safeguard the democratization of international relations. They will make concerted efforts to tackle common challenges facing humanity by fighting epidemics, alleviating poverty, combating terrorism, and dealing with climate change. They will work together to uphold true multilateralism, the common interests of developing countries, the international system with the United Nations at the core, the international order underpinned by international law, and the basic norms governing international relations based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.

Conclusion

China has eliminated the historical problem of absolute poverty, and achieved moderate prosperity in all respects. It has embarked on a new journey toward building China into a modern socialist country by the time the PRC celebrates its centenary in 2049.

Africa is experiencing a flowing tide of solidarity and self-strengthening, and the continent’s influence in international affairs continues to grow. It is now forging ahead with the development of free trade zones, accelerating industrialization and modernization, and heading towards the bright future envisioned in the AU’s Agenda 2063.

The world is going through profound change of a scale unseen in a century. In the face of new opportunities and challenges, China and Africa will further strengthen solidarity and cooperation. China will continue its steadfast support for African countries in pursuing the development paths fitting their respective national conditions, promoting Africa integration, and safeguarding their sovereignty, security and development interests.

China will work together with African countries to promote the Belt and Road Initiative, build an even stronger China-Africa community of shared future, and bring more gains to the Chinese and African peoples, thus making a greater contribution to lasting world peace and prosperity, and to a global community of shared future.

 


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《新时代的中非合作》白皮书(全文)

来源:新华社 发布:2021-11-26 22:50

国务院新闻办公室10月26日发表《新时代的中非合作》白皮书。全文如下:


新时代的中非合作

(2021年11月)

中华人民共和国

国务院新闻办公室


目录


前言

一、构建更加紧密的中非命运共同体

(一)秉持真实亲诚理念和正确义利观

(二)坚持相互尊重、共同发展

(三)树立命运共同体崇高目标

(四)为世界发展与合作树立典范

二、不断拓展新时代中非各领域合作

(一)政治互信持续深化

(二)经济合作迅速发展

(三)社会合作方兴未艾

(四)人文合作日益扩大

(五)和平安全合作稳步拓展

三、坚定不移巩固相互支持

(一)共同捍卫国际公平正义

(二)守望相助抗击新冠肺炎疫情

(三)并肩战胜非洲埃博拉出血热疫情

(四)携手应对自然灾害

四、奋力开创中非关系新局面

(一)中非合作论坛引领对非合作

(二)推动共建“一带一路”合作走向深入

(三)与时俱进、推动中非关系实现新跨越

结束语

  前言

  

中国是世界上最大的发展中国家,非洲是发展中国家最集中的大陆。相似的历史遭遇、共同的历史使命把中国和非洲紧紧联系在一起,中非从来就是命运共同体。发展同非洲国家的团结合作是中国对外政策的重要基石,也是中国长期坚定的战略选择。中国和非洲国家在争取民族解放和国家独立的斗争中相互支持,持续深化政治互信;在实现经济发展和民族振兴的道路上互帮互助,不断拓展合作新领域;在重大国际和地区问题上密切协调,共同捍卫国际公平正义。
进入新时代,习近平主席提出真实亲诚对非政策理念和正确义利观,为新时代对非合作指明了前进方向、提供了根本遵循。2015年和2018年,中非合作论坛约翰内斯堡峰会和北京峰会先后成功举办,引领中非合作达到前所未有的新高度。习近平主席在北京峰会上同非洲领导人一致决定,构建更加紧密的中非命运共同体,深入推进中非共建“一带一路”合作,在中非关系史上树立了新的里程碑。  
中非关系不是一天就发展起来的,更不是什么人赐予的,而是中非风雨同舟、患难与共,一步一个脚印走出来的。中国为非洲发展提供了力所能及的帮助,中国感谢非洲国家和非洲人民长期以来给予中国的大力支持和无私帮助。新冠肺炎疫情发生后,中国和非洲国家患难与共、守望相助,谱写了中非团结友好、共克时艰的新篇章。
为介绍新时代中非合作成果,展望未来中非合作前景,特发布本白皮书。

  

  一、构建更加紧密的中非命运共同体

  

  中非友好源远流长。毛泽东主席等新中国第一代领导人和非洲老一辈政治家共同奠定了中非友好关系基础。长期以来,中国始终尊重非洲、热爱非洲、支持非洲,中国人民始终同非洲人民同呼吸、共命运,同心相向、守望相助,走出了一条特色鲜明的合作共赢之路。在2018年9月中非合作论坛北京峰会上,中非双方决定构建更加紧密的中非命运共同体,在中非关系史上树立了新的里程碑,引领中非关系和中非合作迈入新时代。中非风雨同舟、携手前行,为推动构建人类命运共同体树立了典范。

  

  (一)秉持真实亲诚理念和正确义利观

  

  “真、实、亲、诚”和正确义利观高度凝练和概括了中国对非政策理念,体现了中国优秀文化的道德精髓,融入了中非传统友谊的历史积淀,树立了国际对非合作的时代标杆,是中国加强同包括非洲在内的发展中国家团结合作的总体指导原则。

  对待非洲朋友,讲一个“真”字。真朋友最可贵。中国始终把发展同非洲国家的团结合作作为中国对外政策的重要基础,这一点绝不会因为中国自身发展和国际地位提高而发生变化。中国将继续同非洲国家在涉及对方核心利益和重大关切问题上相互支持,继续在国际和地区事务中坚定支持非洲国家的正义立场,维护发展中国家共同利益。中国将继续坚定支持非洲国家自主解决本地区问题的努力,为促进非洲和平与安全作出更大贡献。中国将继续坚定支持非洲国家探索适合本国国情的发展道路,加强同非洲国家在治国理政方面的经验交流,从各自的古老文明和发展实践中汲取智慧,促进中非共同发展繁荣。

  开展对非合作,讲一个“实”字。中国不仅是合作共赢的倡导者,更是积极实践者。中国致力于把自身发展同非洲发展紧密联系起来,把中国人民利益同非洲人民利益紧密结合起来,把中国发展机遇同非洲发展机遇紧密融合起来,真诚希望非洲国家发展得更快一些,非洲人民日子过得更好一些。中国在谋求自身发展的同时,始终向非洲朋友提供力所能及的支持和帮助。特别是近年来,中国加大了对非援助和合作力度。只要是中方作出的承诺,就一定会不折不扣落到实处。中国将继续扩大同非洲的投融资合作,加强同非洲国家在农业、制造业等领域的互利合作,帮助非洲国家把资源优势转化为发展优势,实现自主发展和可持续发展。

  加强中非友好,讲一个“亲”字。中国人民和非洲人民有着天然的亲近感。中非通过深入对话和实际行动获得心与心的共鸣。中非关系的根基和血脉在人民,中非关系发展更多面向人民。中非重视人文交流,增进中非人民的相互了解和认知,厚植中非友好事业的社会基础。中非关系是面向未来的事业,需要一代又一代中非有志青年共同接续奋斗。双方应积极推动青年交流,使中非友好事业后继有人,永葆青春和活力。

  解决合作中的问题,讲一个“诚”字。中国和非洲都处在快速发展过程中,相互认知需要不断与时俱进。中方坦诚面对中非关系面临的新情况新问题,对出现的问题,本着相互尊重、合作共赢的精神加以妥善解决。

  正确义利观讲求的是义利相兼、以义为先,政治上主持公道、伸张正义,经济上互利共赢、共同发展,国际事务中讲信义、重情义、扬正义、树道义。正确处理“义”和“利”的关系是新时代中非合作的必然要求。中非关系最大的“义”,是把非洲自主可持续发展同中国自身发展紧密结合起来,不搞你输我赢的零和游戏,不做唯利是图的狭隘之举,最终实现合作共赢。

  

  (二)坚持相互尊重、共同发展

  

  中非合作是发展中国家间的互帮互助。中国在对非合作中始终践行“四个坚持”和“五不”原则,一以贯之、日积月累,形成了一条特色鲜明的中非合作共赢之路。这些原则符合中国“己所不欲,勿施于人”的传统理念,契合非洲国家的根本利益和国际关系的基本准则,是中非团结合作的本质特征,对国际对非合作具有重要借鉴意义。

  “四个坚持”,即:

  ——坚持真诚友好、平等相待。中国人民始终同非洲人民同呼吸、共命运,始终尊重非洲、热爱非洲、支持非洲。

  ——坚持义利相兼、以义为先。中国在对非合作中主张多予少取、先予后取、只予不取,张开怀抱欢迎非洲搭乘中国发展快车。

  ——坚持发展为民、务实高效。中国坚持把中非人民利益放在首位,为中非人民福祉而推进合作,让合作成果惠及中非人民;凡是中国答应非洲兄弟的事,就尽心尽力办好。

  ——坚持开放包容、兼收并蓄。中国愿同国际合作伙伴一道,支持非洲和平与发展;凡是对非洲有利的事情,中国都欢迎和支持。

  “五不”原则,即:中国不干预非洲国家探索符合国情的发展道路,不干涉非洲内政,不把自己的意志强加于人,不在对非援助中附加任何政治条件,不在对非投资融资中谋取政治私利。

  

  (三)树立命运共同体崇高目标

  

  在2018年中非合作论坛北京峰会上,中非双方就携手打造“责任共担、合作共赢、幸福共享、文化共兴、安全共筑、和谐共生”的中非命运共同体达成战略共识。这是中非命运共同体基本纲领,是中非双方共同奋斗的宏伟目标,为新时代中非合作规划了路径。

  ——责任共担,是加强在涉及彼此核心利益和重大关切问题上的相互理解和支持,密切在重大国际和地区问题上的协作配合,维护中非和广大发展中国家共同利益。

  ——合作共赢,是抓住中非发展战略对接的机遇,用好共建“一带一路”带来的重大机遇,开拓新的合作空间,发掘新的合作潜力。

  ——幸福共享,是把增进民生福祉作为发展中非关系的出发点和落脚点。中非合作要给中非人民带来看得见、摸得着的成果和实惠。

  ——文化共兴,是促进中非文明交流互鉴、交融共存,拉紧中非人民的情感纽带,为彼此文明复兴、文化进步、文艺繁荣提供持久助力,为中非合作提供更深厚的精神滋养。

  ——安全共筑,是为促进非洲和平稳定发挥建设性作用,支持非洲国家提升自主维稳维和能力。中国坚定支持非洲国家和非洲联盟等地区组织以非洲方式解决非洲问题。

  ——和谐共生,是加强在应对气候变化、应用清洁能源、防控荒漠化和水土流失、保护野生动植物等生态环保领域交流合作,让中国和非洲都成为人与自然和睦相处的美好家园。

  中非合作好不好,中非人民最有发言权。中国对非合作的出发点永远是中非双方人民的根本利益,永远不会将遏制他国作为自身对非政策的出发点。

  

  (四)为世界发展与合作树立典范

  

  中非合作兴,则南南合作兴。中非双方发展好,世界会更好。新时代的中非合作是中非双方实现共同发展的必由之路,将为构建更加紧密的中非命运共同体奠定更加坚实的物质基础,也将为促进发展中国家群体性崛起、推动国际力量对比向更加均衡的方向发展注入强劲动力。

  当前,百年变局和世纪疫情交织共振,多边主义和单边主义激烈博弈,全球治理体系正经历前所未有的深刻调整。中国始终认为,非洲是国际合作的大舞台,不是大国博弈的竞技场。中非合作从来不是清谈馆,在给中非人民带来实实在在好处的同时,中非合作也为国际对非合作创造了更加有利的条件。面向新时代,中国人民同非洲人民团结合作,将为增进全人类福祉,推动构建新型国际关系、推动构建人类命运共同体树立榜样。

  

  二、不断拓展新时代中非各领域合作

  

  中非双方高度信任,中非友谊坚如磐石。中国致力于不断巩固中非政治互信,深化各领域务实合作,为非洲和平与发展提供力所能及的帮助,中国对非合作一直走在国际对非合作的前列。经过几十年辛勤浇灌,中非合作枝繁叶茂,成长为参天大树,任何力量都无法撼动。当前,中非关系处于历史最好时期,中非合作成果遍布非洲大地,改善了非洲经济社会发展条件,给双方人民带来了实实在在的好处。

  

  (一)政治互信持续深化

  

  新中国成立以来,无论国际风云如何变幻,中国和非洲国家始终是风雨同舟的好朋友、休戚与共的好伙伴、肝胆相照的好兄弟。2006年中非合作论坛北京峰会确立中非新型战略伙伴关系。2015年中非合作论坛约翰内斯堡峰会确立中非全面战略合作伙伴关系。2018年中非合作论坛北京峰会确定构建更加紧密的中非命运共同体,推动中非关系进入历史最好时期。

  高层交往对中非关系发展发挥着重要引领作用,双方领导人就双边关系和共同关心的重大问题加强沟通协调,为巩固传统友谊、增强政治互信,维护共同利益、共谋发展合作提供了有力政治保障。2013年3月,习近平主席就任国家主席后首次出访就远赴非洲,至今已四次访非,足迹遍及非洲东西南北中。2018年中非合作论坛北京峰会期间,习近平主席同与会的50余位非洲国家领导人逐一会面,叙友情、商合作、话未来,并出席近70场双多边活动。2018年中非合作论坛北京峰会后,17位非洲领导人先后来华访问或出席会议。新冠肺炎疫情发生后,双方领导人通过视频、通话等形式保持交往和沟通。2020年6月,习近平主席以视频形式主持召开中非团结抗疫特别峰会,13位非洲领导人和非盟委员会主席出席。疫情以来,习近平主席先后同非洲各国元首通话17次,保持了中非高层交往的密度和热度。习近平主席对非洲朋友真诚友好、平等相待,与非洲领导人建立深厚的友谊和信任,以元首外交引领了中非关系行稳致远。



  中非双方不断丰富和完善政府间对话、磋商及合作机制,充分发挥统筹协调作用,促进中非各领域合作全方位发展。中国同非洲9国建立全面战略合作伙伴关系,同3国建立全面战略伙伴关系,同6国建立战略伙伴关系,同7国建立全面合作伙伴关系。中国已同21个非洲国家和非盟委员会建立双边委员会、外交磋商或战略对话机制,同51个非洲国家建立经贸联(混)合委员会机制。2016年,中国同非盟建立人权磋商机制。2017年,中国同南非建立中非间首个政府间高级别人文交流机制。中非地方合作迸发活力,2012年以来,中非双方已举办4届中非地方政府合作论坛。截至目前,中非双方共缔结160对友好省市,其中2013年以来新增友好省市48对。

  中国和非洲国家密切开展政党、立法和协商机构交往,构建多层次、多渠道、多形式、全方位的友好合作。中国共产党在独立自主、完全平等、相互尊重、互不干涉内部事务的原则基础上,不断密切同非洲国家政党交流与合作,构建求同存异、相互尊重、互学互鉴的新型政党关系。双方从立法和监督方面发挥积极影响,为中非合作和交往提供政策支持和保障。全国人大与埃及、南非、肯尼亚议会建立定期交流机制,与35个非洲国家议会建有双边友好小组。全国政协及所属机构已同39个非洲国家的59个机构开展交往。2019年6月,全国政协成立中非友好小组,是全国政协历史上第一个对外友好小组。



  近年来,更多非洲国家加入中非友好大家庭,中国分别同冈比亚(2016年3月17日)、圣多美和普林西比(2016年12月26日)、布基纳法索(2018年5月26日)恢复大使级外交关系。目前,中国已经同除斯威士兰以外的其他53个非洲国家建立外交关系。

  中国积极发展同非盟及非洲次区域组织合作。2012年1月,中国援建的非盟会议中心项目建成并投入使用,这是继坦赞铁路之后中国在非最大援助项目。2014年中国设立驻非盟使团,标志中国与非盟关系发展进入新阶段。中国重视并坚定支持非盟在推进非洲联合自强和一体化进程中发挥领导作用、在维护非洲和平安全中发挥主导作用、在地区和国际事务中发挥更大作用,支持非盟通过《2063议程》及实施第一个十年规划。

  中国以观察员身份多次应邀出席西非国家经济共同体(西共体)、南部非洲发展共同体(南共体)、东非共同体(东共体)、东非政府间发展组织(伊加特)、中部非洲国家经济共同体(中共体)等次区域组织峰会等重要活动,并向西共体、南共体、东共体派驻大使。


  (二)经济合作迅速发展

  

  中非经贸合作加速发展,深度广度不断拓展。中非合作论坛约翰内斯堡峰会和北京峰会分别宣布实施“十大合作计划”和“八大行动”,将中非经贸合作水平推向历史新高。

  ——加大发展援助。中国在实现自身发展的进程中,始终关注和支持非洲国家改善民生、谋求发展的事业。进入新时代,中国在力所能及的基础上不断加大对非援助。2013年至2018年中国对外援助金额为2702亿元人民币,其中对非洲国家的援助占比44.65%,包括无偿援助、无息贷款和优惠贷款。2000年至2020年,建成的公路铁路超过13000公里,建设了80多个大型电力设施,援建了130多个医疗设施、45个体育馆、170多所学校,为非洲培训各领域人才共计16万余名,打造了非盟会议中心等一系列中非合作“金字招牌”,涉及经济社会生活的方方面面,受到非洲国家政府和人民的广泛欢迎和支持。中国已宣布免除与中国有外交关系的非洲最不发达国家、重债穷国、内陆发展中国家、小岛屿发展中国家截至2018年底到期未偿还政府间无息贷款。新冠肺炎疫情发生后,中国宣布免除15个非洲国家2020年底到期的无息贷款债务。


  ——加速贸易发展。中国自2009年起连续12年稳居非洲第一大贸易伙伴国地位,中非贸易额占非洲整体外贸总额比重连年上升,2020年超过21%。中非贸易结构持续优化,中国对非出口技术含量显著提高,机电产品、高新技术产品对非出口额占比超过50%。中国主动扩大自非洲非资源类产品进口,对非洲33个最不发达国家97%税目输华产品提供零关税待遇,帮助更多非洲农业、制造业产品进入中国市场。据统计,2017年以来中国从非洲服务进口年均增长20%,每年为非洲创造近40万个就业岗位。近年来,中国自非农产品进口持续增长,已成为非洲第二大农产品出口目的国。中非电子商务等贸易新业态蓬勃发展,“丝路电商”合作不断推进,中国已与卢旺达建立电子商务合作机制,中国企业积极投资海外仓建设,非洲优质特色产品通过电子商务直接对接中国市场。中国-毛里求斯自贸协定于2021年1月1日正式生效,成为中非间首个自贸协定,为中非经贸合作注入新动力。


  ——促进投融资合作。投融资合作是近年来中非合作最大亮点之一,为非洲经济社会发展注入“血液”。结合非洲需要和中国优势,中国鼓励和支持中国企业扩大和优化对非投资,为符合条件的项目提供融资及出口信用保险支持。在中国政府、金融机构和各类企业合力推动下,中国对非投资呈现良好发展态势,广泛涉及矿业开采、加工冶炼、装备制造、农业开发、家电生产、航空服务、医药卫生、数字经济等产业,帮助非方提升了有关产业工业化水平、产业配套和出口创汇能力。



  截至2020年底,中国企业累计对非直接投资超过430亿美元。中国在非洲设立各类企业超过3500家,民营企业逐渐成为对非投资的主力,聘用非洲本地员工比例超80%,直接和间接创造了数百万个就业机会。


  ——助力非洲农业发展。中国积极同非洲分享农业发展经验技术,支持非洲国家提高农业生产和加工水平,推动农业产业链建设和贸易发展。2012年以来,在华培训非洲农业学员7456人次;通过实施援非百名农业专家、援非农业专家组等项目,培训非洲当地5万余人次,建成23个农业示范中心。截至目前,中国与23个非洲国家及地区组织建立农业合作机制,签署了双多边农业合作文件72项。2012年以来,中国与20个非洲国家及地区组织签署农业合作文件31项。2019年中非举办首届中非农业合作论坛,成立中国-非盟农业合作委员会,启动中非农业现代化合作规划和行动计划编制工作。截至2020年底,中国在非农业投资企业超200家,涉及非洲国家共35个,投资存量11.1亿美元,投资范围涵盖种植、养殖和农产品加工等各产业,超过350余种非洲农产品食品可开展对华贸易,中非农业贸易稳步增长。

  ——助力非洲工业化。工业化是非洲实现包容性和持续性发展的前提,是创造就业、消除贫困、提高生活水平的关键。中国支持非洲国家根据自身国情和发展需求,改善投资软硬环境,以产业对接和产能合作为龙头,助力非洲工业化和经济多元化进程。截至目前,中国与15个非洲国家建立产能合作机制。中国与非洲国家合作建设经贸合作区、经济特区、工业园区、科技园区,吸引中国等各国企业赴非投资,建立生产和加工基地并开展本土化经营,增加当地就业和税收,促进产业升级和技术合作。中非产能合作基金围绕非洲“三网一化”(高速铁路网、高速公路网、区域航空网和工业化)建设战略开发业务,截至2021年3月,累计投资21个项目,涉及能源、资源、制造业等多个领域,有力带动非洲国家产业发展。数十家中资企业与非洲企业合作建设光伏电站,累计装机容量超过1.5吉瓦(GW),填补非洲光伏产业链空白,有效缓解当地用电紧缺问题并促进低碳减排。

  ——深化基础设施合作。中国支持非洲将基础设施建设作为经济振兴的优先发展方向,鼓励和支持中国企业采取多种模式参与非洲基础设施建设、投资、运营和管理。2016年至2020年,非洲开工建设的基础设施项目总额近2000亿美元,2020年中国企业实施的项目比已达31.4%。中非合作论坛成立以来,中国企业利用各类资金帮助非洲国家新增和升级铁路超过1万公里、公路近10万公里、桥梁近千座、港口近百个、输变电线路6.6万公里、电力装机容量1.2亿千瓦、通讯骨干网15万公里,网络服务覆盖近7亿用户终端。中国企业承建和运营的肯尼亚蒙内铁路是该国百年来第一条现代化铁路,全部采用中国标准、中国技术、中国装备,被誉为新时期中非“友谊之路”“合作之路”“共赢之路”,累计运送旅客541.5万人次、发送集装箱130.8万个标准箱,对肯经济增长贡献率达到1.5%,累计直接和间接创造就业4.6万个。中国引导企业采用BOT(建设—经营—转让方式)、BOO(建设—拥有—经营方式)、PPP(政府与社会资本合作)等多种模式,推动中非基础设施合作向投资建设运营一体化模式转型,促进基础设施项目可持续发展。

  ——加强金融合作。中非金融机构积极开发对方市场,双方央行积极扩大本币结算和互换安排,推动中非金融便利化水平稳步提高。截至2021年10月,人民币跨境支付系统(CIPS)有42家非洲地区间接参与者,覆盖19个非洲国家。中国央行先后与南非、摩洛哥、埃及和尼日利亚央行签署了本币互换协议,金额总计730亿元人民币。中国已同埃及、南非、尼日利亚等7个非洲国家签署了金融监管合作谅解备忘录,为双方金融合作行稳致远打牢基础。中国加入非洲开发银行、东南非贸易与开发银行和西非开发银行等多边开发金融机构。中国已累计向非洲开发银行下的非洲开发基金承诺捐资9.96亿美元。

  ——拓展数字经济合作。中国积极帮助非洲国家消除“数字鸿沟”,中非“数字经济”合作发展迅速,从数字基础设施建设到社会数字化转型,物联网、移动金融等新技术应用,全领域合作成果丰硕。中国企业参与了多条连接非洲和欧、亚、美洲大陆海缆工程;与非洲主流运营商合作基本实现非洲电信服务全覆盖;建设了非洲一半以上无线站点及高速移动宽带网络,累计铺设超过20万公里光纤,帮助600万家庭实现宽带上网,服务超过9亿非洲人民。截至目前,超过15个非洲国家的17个城市、1500多家企业选择中国企业作为数字化转型伙伴,29个国家选择中国企业提供的智慧政务服务方案;中非共同在南非建立了服务整个非洲区域的公有“云”,以及非洲首个5G独立组网商用网络。中非电子商务合作层次和内涵不断丰富,“丝路电商”云上大讲堂有效提升伙伴国中小微企业数字素养,“双品网购节”丝路电商专场、“非洲产品电商推广季”等活动助力非洲优质产品进入中国市场,中国企业积极参与非洲电子支付、智慧物流等公共服务平台建设,在互联互通中实现合作共赢。2021年8月,中非互联网发展与合作论坛成功举办,中国宣布愿同非洲共同制定和实施“中非数字创新伙伴计划”。

  

  (三)社会合作方兴未艾

  

  中国积极同非洲开展减贫、卫生、教育、科技、环保、气候变化、青年妇女交流等社会领域合作,通过加强交流、提供援助、分享社会发展经验,帮助非洲国家提高社会综合发展水平,为非洲经济发展创造内生动力。

  ——分享减贫经验。贫困是中非面临的共同挑战。消除贫困是联合国2030年可持续发展议程的首要目标。中国成功走出了一条具有中国特色的减贫道路,使数亿贫困人口摆脱贫困,为解决非洲贫困提供了借鉴。中国积极落实《中国和非洲联盟加强中非减贫合作纲要》,通过“中非合作论坛-减贫与发展会议”“中非青年减贫和发展交流项目”等机制,鼓励和支持中非地方政府、学术、企业、青年和非政府组织开展形式多样的减贫经验交流与务实合作。自2010年以来,“中非合作论坛-减贫与发展会议”已在中国、埃塞俄比亚、南非、乌干达等国连续举办10届,参会总人数接近1600人次。2005年至2021年,中国共举办160期减贫援外培训班,为非洲53国培训超过2700人次,占总参训人数58.6%。

  ——加强卫生健康领域合作。中国践行人民至上、生命至上的理念,帮助非洲国家应对病疫,建设公共卫生体系,以实际行动推动构建中非卫生健康共同体。向非洲国家派遣中国医疗队是中非开展时间最长、涉及国家最多、成效最为显著的合作项目之一。中国1963年向阿尔及利亚派出首支中国医疗队,开创了新中国援非医疗的历史。58年来,中国累计向非洲派出医疗队员2.3万人次,诊治患者2.3亿人次。目前在非洲45国派有医疗队员近千人,共98个工作点。中国医疗队被非洲当地人誉为“白衣使者”、“南南合作的典范”和“最受欢迎的人”。在非实施34次“光明行”义诊活动,帮助近万名非洲白内障患者重见光明。中国重点帮助非洲国家加强专科医学建设,为非洲各国培训各类医务人才2万人次。截至目前,中国已帮助18个非洲国家建立了20个专科中心,涉及心脏、重症医学、创伤、腔镜等专业,同40个非洲国家45所非方医院建立对口合作机制。中国支持非洲各国提高口岸卫生检疫能力,并向非洲疾控中心派出疾控专家提供技术支持。

  ——扩大教育和人力资源开发合作。中国大力支持非洲教育发展,根据非洲国家经济社会发展需要,帮助非洲培养急需人才,通过设立多个奖学金专项,支持非洲优秀青年来华学习。2012年起,中非双方实施“中非高校20+20合作计划”,搭建中非高校交流合作平台。中国在联合国教科文组织设立信托基金项目,累计已在非洲国家培训1万余名教师。2018年以来,中国在埃及、南非、吉布提、肯尼亚等非洲国家与当地院校共建“鲁班工坊”,同非洲分享中国优质职业教育,为非洲培养适应经济社会发展急需的高素质技术技能人才。中国支持30余所非洲大学设立中文系或中文专业,配合16个非洲国家将中文纳入国民教育体系,在非洲合作设立了61所孔子学院和48所孔子课堂。2004年以来,中国共向非洲48国派出中文教师和志愿者5500余人次。

  ——加强科技合作与知识共享。中国积极同非洲加强科技创新战略沟通与对接,分享科技发展经验与成果,推动双方科技人才交流与培养、技术转移与创新创业。中国与非洲国家建设了一批高水平联合实验室、创建了中非联合研究中心、中非创新合作中心。近年来,中国通过实施“一带一路”国际科学组织联盟奖学金、中国政府奖学金、“国际杰青计划”、“国际青年创新创业计划”等项目帮助非洲培养大量科技人才。空间和航天合作取得新突破,双方利用中国遥感数据开展防灾减灾、射电天文、卫星导航定位和精准农业等领域合作,共同参与天文领域国际大科学工程“平方公里阵列射电望远镜”项目。中国在埃及援建卫星总装集成及测试中心项目。中国还分别为阿尔及利亚、苏丹发射两国首颗人造卫星。

  ——深化生态保护和应对气候变化合作。中非人民对优美环境和美好生活有着共同的向往。中国和非洲一道,倡导绿色、低碳、循环、可持续的发展方式,保护人类的共同家园。2012年以来,中非共同举办了“中非绿色合作引导未来经济”研讨会和“中非环境合作部长级对话会”,推动加强环境治理政策沟通协调。2020年启动中非环境合作中心,搭建中非双方以及相关国际组织、研究机构、企业等多方参与的重要平台。截至2021年9月,安哥拉、肯尼亚等7个非洲国家相关机构已加入“一带一路”绿色发展国际联盟,为推进绿色丝绸之路建设作出积极贡献。中方积极开展应对气候变化南南合作,目前已和14个非洲国家签署15份合作文件,通过实施减缓和适应气候变化项目、共同建设低碳示范区、开展能力建设培训等方式为非洲应对气候变化提供支持。其中,中国向埃塞俄比亚援助的对地观测遥感卫星是中国同非洲合作的第一颗遥感卫星。中非双方通过开展环保法律、法规情报交流、执法能力建设等合作,共同打击走私濒危野生动植物跨国有组织犯罪,在履行《生物多样性公约》《濒危野生动植物种国际贸易公约》等事务中加强沟通协调,共同促进全球野生动植物保护和可持续利用。



  (四)人文合作日益扩大


  国之交在于民相亲。中非文化、媒体、科技、智库和青年妇女交流全面深化,进一步促进中非民心相通,夯实了中非关系发展的基础。

  ——拓展文化、旅游等交流与合作。中非双方积极签署双边政府文化协定执行计划,通过合作举办“国家年”“文化年”“欢乐春节”“中非文化聚焦”“意会中国”等品牌活动,进一步深化了文化交流与合作。截至2020年12月,中非签署并落实了346个双边政府文化协定执行计划。2013年至2020年,中方组派艺术团赴非140国(次)举办演出。2013年以来,邀请非洲28国的艺术团来华演出。2016年以来,中方为非洲国家举办文化领域研修班上百个,非方参与人员累计近1500人。目前,中国在毛里求斯、贝宁、埃及、尼日利亚、坦桑尼亚、摩洛哥设有中国文化中心,已与突尼斯、肯尼亚、科特迪瓦、塞内加尔、埃塞俄比亚、莫桑比克签署互设文化中心或设立中国文化中心的政府文件。截至目前,中国与31个非洲国家签署双边旅游合作文件,已将34个非洲国家列为中国公民组团出境旅游目的地,与22个非洲国家正式开展中国公民组团旅游业务。

  ——深化新闻传媒与影视合作。中非就深化新闻合作、网络空间管理、处理媒体关系不断加强对话与交流,共同举办了中非媒体领袖峰会、中非媒体合作论坛等大型交流活动。30家非洲媒体加入“一带一路”新闻合作联盟,42个非洲国家参加“一带一路”媒体合作论坛。中国支持非洲广播电影电视产业发展,积极落实“为非洲1万个村落实施收看卫星电视项目”,支持在非洲农村和偏远郊区开展“大篷车”等户外放映活动,覆盖12个非洲国家70多个村庄和地区。中非双方鼓励联合开发制作、创作更多讲述非洲故事、中非友好故事的作品。中国企业为1300万非洲用户提供11种语言、600多个频道的节目资源;近年来,中国对约200部中国优秀视听作品进行面向非洲的多语种译制,在10余个非洲国家举办中国电影展映展播活动,每年都有一定数量的非洲影片在中国电影节上展映。

  ——鼓励学术与智库合作。中非支持双方学术研究机构、智库、高校开展课题研究、学术交流、著作出版等多种形式的合作,优先支持开展治国理政、发展道路、产能合作、文化与法律等课题研究与成果分享,推动壮大中非学术研究力量。80余个中非智库学术研究机构参加“中非联合研究交流计划”。2012年,中非合作论坛第五届部长级会议倡议实施“中非智库10+10合作伙伴计划”,建立“一对一”长期合作关系。2019年4月,中国非洲研究院在北京成立。

  ——增进民间交流。积极落实《中非民间交流合作倡议书》,鼓励实施“中非民间友好行动”“丝路一家亲”“中非民间友好伙伴计划”等,支持中非工会、民间组织、非政府组织及社会团体深化交流。2011年以来双方举办了6届中非民间论坛,2012年以来举办了5届中非青年领导人论坛、4届亚非青年联欢节和3届中非青年大联欢活动。2021年,举办首届中非未来领袖对话。截至2020年,中国政府已累计向16个非洲国家派遣484名青年志愿者。中国已与53个非洲国家100多个妇女机构(组织)建立联系和交往。中国在毛里求斯、莱索托、吉布提、津巴布韦和苏丹等国建立中非妇女友好交流(培训)中心。

  

  (五)和平安全合作稳步拓展

  

  没有和平稳定的环境,发展就无从谈起。中国是非洲和平与安全事务的建设性参与者,一贯致力于支持非洲人以非洲方式解决非洲问题,坚持标本兼治,坚持合作共赢,支持非洲国家和非盟在非洲和平安全事务中发挥主导作用,支持非洲提升自主维和、维稳和反恐能力,支持非洲国家和非盟等地区组织落实“消弭枪声”倡议,支持联合国为非盟自主维和行动提供资金支持。中国在充分尊重非洲意愿、不干涉内政、恪守国际关系基本准则基础上,积极探索建设性参与非洲和平与安全事务。



  中非不断深化和平安全领域的交流与对话,2019年以来,中国先后举行中非实施和平安全行动对话会、首届中非和平安全论坛、中非和平安全论坛军事医学专题视频会议,并积极参与非洲国家举行的和平安全领域重要会议或论坛。中国政府非洲事务特别代表积极斡旋非洲热点问题,为推进非洲和平与安全发挥了独特建设性作用。中国通过联演联训、舰艇互访等多种方式,支持非洲国家加强国防和军队建设,支持萨赫勒、亚丁湾、几内亚湾等地区国家维护地区安全和反恐努力,在共建“一带一路”、社会治安、联合国维和、打击海盗、反恐等领域推动实施安全援助项目并帮助非洲国家培训军事人员。中国支持联合国在维护非洲和平与稳定方面发挥重要作用,是安理会常任理事国中向非洲派遣维和人员数量最多的国家。

  自1990年参加联合国维和行动以来,中国派出的维和人员有超过80%部署在非洲,累计向非洲派出3万余人次,在17个联合国维和任务区执行任务。现有1800余名维和人员在马里、刚果(金)、阿布耶伊、南苏丹、西撒哈拉等5个非洲任务区执行联合国维和任务。根据联合国安理会决议,中国海军自2008年以来常态部署亚丁湾执行护航任务,迄今已派出39批护航编队,累计完成约1400余批近7000艘中外船舶护航任务。中国还决定向联合国维和人员捐赠30万剂新冠肺炎疫苗,优先用于非洲任务区。截至2020年8月,共有11名中国官兵在联合国非洲维和行动中献出宝贵生命。

  中非支持扩大双方人员有序往来,不断加强领事合作,推动执法部门合作,共同打击各类跨国犯罪。2019年,中国公民赴非洲各国达60.7万人次,非洲各国公民入境中国达68.5万人次。双方人员往来快速增长推动中国和非洲国家领事关系迅速发展。中国支持非洲国家加强执法能力建设,2018年以来为非洲国家培训2000余名执法人员,并提供警用物资。中国在联合国框架下向非洲任务区派出维和警察,在国际刑警组织框架下同非洲国家积极开展案件协作、情报交流、经验分享、联合行动,共同打击跨国犯罪。

  

  三、坚定不移巩固相互支持

  

  中非友好关系经历半个多世纪的风雨考验,双方在关乎彼此前途命运的关键时刻和重大问题上始终坚定地站在一起。非洲国家为中国维护主权、安全和发展利益,促进国家统一,实现发展振兴提供了重要支持。中国坚定支持非洲国家实现民族独立,走符合自身国情的发展道路,支持非洲一体化建设和联合自强的努力。面对新冠肺炎疫情的严峻考验,中非携手应对,中非友谊得到新的升华。中非人民凝聚团结之力,能够战胜艰难险阻,铸就美好未来。

  

  (一)共同捍卫国际公平正义

  

  中国和非洲是推动全球治理体系和国际秩序变革的重要合作伙伴。50年前,第二十六届联合国大会以压倒性多数通过第2758号决议,恢复中华人民共和国在联合国的合法席位,从此中国人民在国际舞台上发挥越来越重要的作用。提案的23个国家中有11个来自非洲,76张赞成票中有26张来自非洲。在当今复杂多变的国际形势下,中非双方共同弘扬多边主义,旗帜鲜明地反对保护主义和单边主义,在涉及彼此核心利益和重大关切的问题上互相支持,维护发展中国家共同利益。中非合作实践和理念为发展中国家在国际事务中合作树立了典范,也为改革全球治理体系提供了重要方案。

  ——共同践行真正的多边主义。中非高举多边主义旗帜,坚定维护以联合国为核心的国际体系、以国际法为基础的国际秩序、以联合国宪章宗旨和原则为基础的国际关系基本准则,切实维护国际公平正义,推动国际秩序朝着更加公正合理的方向发展。双方一致反对单边主义和保护主义,致力于维护开放型世界经济和多边贸易体系。中国和非洲坚定支持增加发展中国家特别是非洲国家在国际治理体系中的代表性和发言权,中国在联合国的一票永远属于发展中国家。



  ——共同维护正当合法权益。中非在涉及各自国家主权、领土完整、民族尊严和发展利益等重大问题上相互理解和支持。所有同中国建交的非洲国家恪守一个中国原则,坚定支持中国统一大业。中国坚定支持非洲国家捍卫国家主权、维护民族独立,呼吁国际社会帮助非洲国家实现生存权和发展权,反对一切形式种族主义和种族歧视,积极推动解除针对非洲国家不合理的单边制裁。中国同非洲成员在联合国安理会建立“1+3”磋商机制,就重大国际和地区问题保持沟通与协调。2017年以来,中国担任安理会轮值主席国期间,倡议召开了“加强非洲和平与安全能力”“加强非洲维和行动”“非洲和平与安全:打击非洲恐怖主义和极端主义”等公开辩论会,以及“非洲和平与安全:推进非洲疫后重建,消除冲突根源”高级别会议,推动国际社会加强团结合作、加大力度支持非洲实现长久和平。

  中非都倡导将生存权和发展权作为首要基本人权,同等重视各类人权,在平等和相互尊重基础上开展人权交流与合作,尊重各国自主选择发展的权利,反对将人权政治化和搞双重标准,反对借人权干涉别国内政,促进国际人权事业健康发展。针对西方反华势力在涉疆、涉港等问题上的歪曲抹黑和不实指责,非洲国家同广大发展中国家一道,在联合国人权理事会、联大三委等场合通过发表共同发言、单独发言等方式,支持中国正当立场。非洲国家认同中国人权理念,支持中国在联合国人权理事会提出的“发展对享有所有人权的贡献”“在人权领域促进合作共赢”等决议。

  中国呼吁国际社会推动全球经济治理改革,切实支持非洲实现发展。二十国集团领导人杭州峰会在中国推动下发布了《支持非洲和最不发达国家工业化倡议》。2015年,中国宣布设立中国-联合国和平与发展基金,2016年至2020年其下设的发展子基金共实施34个项目,涉及减贫、卫生健康、能源可及、科技创新、互联互通等多个领域,非洲国家是主要受惠方。2021年5月,中非双方共同发起“支持非洲发展伙伴倡议”。中非一致认为支持非洲发展是国际社会的广泛共识和共同责任。为应对疫情挑战、更加旗帜鲜明地支持非洲渡过难关,国际对非合作伙伴有必要把优势资源投向非方最急需领域,形成支持非洲发展的有效合力。

  

  (二)守望相助抗击新冠肺炎疫情

  

  面对突如其来的新冠肺炎疫情,中非双方经受住严峻考验,相互声援、并肩战斗,共同唱响团结合作、共克时艰的时代强音。

  2020年6月,中非团结抗疫特别峰会成功举办。中国成为全球首个同非洲大陆就应对疫情举行峰会的国家,引领国际对非抗疫合作,为全球抗疫合作注入新动力。习近平主席在峰会上阐述了疫情形势下推进中非合作、加强国际合作的重要政策主张,指出要加快落实中非合作论坛北京峰会成果,将合作重点向健康卫生、复工复产、改善民生领域倾斜,并宣布了对非抗疫援助、减缓债和复工复产等系列举措,受到非方高度赞誉和广泛欢迎。与会领导人共同发表了《中非团结抗疫特别峰会联合声明》,一致认为中非双方要坚定不移携手抗击疫情、坚定不移推进中非合作、坚定不移践行多边主义、坚定不移推进中非友好。会后中非双方密切对接,统筹推进疫情防控和复工复产,推动中非合作克服疫情挑战,不断恢复并向前发展。

  在中国抗疫的艰难时刻,非洲国家和非盟等地区组织通过不同方式对中国抗疫行动给予有力声援和支持。2020年2月非盟部长理事会发表公报支持中国抗疫努力,是全球首个重要地区组织和整个洲域公开给予中国声援。非洲48国元首、11国政府首脑、12国议长和非盟委员会主席来函(电),10国发表政府声明,18国外长致函,非盟和平与安全理事会会议、卫生部长紧急会议以及主要地区组织会议等均向中方表示声援和慰问,不少非洲国家不富裕,但仍积极向中国捐款捐物。一些非洲在华留学生同当地防疫人员一道奋战在抗疫前线。

  非洲疫情发生后,中国第一时间驰援非洲,开展了新中国成立以来涉及范围最广、实施难度最大的人道主义援助行动。从2020年起,中国根据有关国家需求,统筹地方政府、企业和民间组织等各类资源,向非洲53国和非盟提供了120批检测试剂、防护服、口罩、隔离眼罩、呼吸机等紧急抗疫物资援助,实现对非抗疫援助“全覆盖”。中国积极同非洲国家分享抗疫经验,向17个非洲国家派出了抗疫医疗专家组或短期抗疫医疗队,同非洲人民共同抗击疫情,并推动中国援建的非洲疾控中心总部项目提前开工建设。

  中国积极践行“将疫苗作为全球公共产品”的承诺,在中国疫苗上市之初、国内供应紧张的情况下,即开始向非洲援助疫苗,为非洲国家抗疫提供支持与帮助。中方积极落实将疫苗作为全球公共产品的坚定承诺,截至2021年11月12日,已向包括50个非洲国家和非盟委员会在内的110多个国家和国际组织提供超过17亿剂疫苗,将努力全年对外提供20亿剂疫苗,并在向“新冠疫苗实施计划”捐赠1亿美元基础上,再向包括非洲在内的发展中国家无偿捐赠1亿剂疫苗。中国企业亦积极在非洲地区开展联合生产,帮助有意愿的国家实现疫苗本地化生产,目前已在埃及启动疫苗本地化生产,同摩洛哥和阿尔及利亚签署了合作协议。

  为帮助非洲国家应对疫情冲击,克服暂时困难,中国支持减轻非洲国家债务负担,积极落实二十国集团(G20)“暂缓最贫困国家债务偿付倡议”,在G20成员中缓债金额最大,已同19个非洲国家签署缓债协议或达成共识。中国支持将G20缓债倡议延期至2021年年底,并同有关成员一道落实《缓债倡议后续债务处理共同框架》。对于疫情特别重、压力特别大的国家,中国并同有关方一道,通过个案处理方式提供支持。

  

  (三)并肩战胜非洲埃博拉出血热疫情

  

  2014年,塞拉利昂、利比里亚和几内亚暴发埃博拉出血热疫情。在非洲人民的艰难时刻,中国义无反顾伸出援助之手,在国际社会发挥了引领和示范作用。中国是最早向几内亚、塞拉利昂等国提供援助的国家,也是唯一一个向西非疫区提供实验室并设立留观诊治中心的国家。中国先后向有关非洲国家和国际、地区组织提供总额约7.5亿元人民币快速、实用、全面抗疫援助,先后使用9架次包机运输物资和人员,向疫情国派出16批、1200多名临床和公共卫生专家,与当地医生共同战斗在抗击埃博拉疫情的前线,中国医生还在当地培训医护人员1.3万人次。中国还为疫区国家援建了实验室、治疗中心等多个项目,成为当时中国支持海外国家和地区应对公共危机持续时间最长、覆盖面最广、规模和力度最大的一次援助。面对疫情,中国外交官、医疗队、维和人员和企业员工始终选择坚守,而不是撤离。恐惧比病毒更可怕,而信心比黄金更宝贵。在灾难面前,中非人民展现了同甘苦、共患难的一片真情。

  2018年,刚果(金)再次暴发埃博拉出血热疫情,中国及时向刚果(金)及其邻国卢旺达、布隆迪、乌干达以及非盟等提供包括物资、现汇、专家、药品、培训在内的一揽子紧急人道主义援助,帮助有关国家及时遏制疫情发展。

  

  (四)携手应对自然灾害

  

  中国历来重视非洲受灾国的救援工作,帮助非方应对各种自然灾害和人道主义危机,并通过联合国、世界粮食计划署、红十字国际委员会等多边国际组织开展对非紧急人道主义援助。

  中国人民不会忘记,2008年中国遭受特大地震灾害,仅200万人口的赤道几内亚就捐赠了200万欧元,平均每人1欧元。刚果(布)政府在汶川地震后捐赠100万美元,在玉树地震后又捐资200万美元建设了一所小学。非洲人民在自己经济并不富裕的情况下,仍慷慨解囊支援中国人民抗震救灾和灾后重建,这份情谊让中国人民倍感温暖。

  “投之以桃,报之以李”。中国先后在40多个受灾非洲国家实施粮食、供水、妇幼、教育等民生项目,受益人数达1000多万人,有力促进了受灾国的经济恢复和社会发展。2019年,“伊代”飓风席卷东南部非洲。中国向津巴布韦、莫桑比克、马拉维紧急提供人道主义物资援助,并向受灾最严重的莫桑比克派出65人组成的国际救援队,在莫当地治疗3000多人。2019年底,蝗灾袭击非洲之角,地区国家超过3000万人生计受到威胁。2020年初,尽管面临新冠肺炎疫情影响,中国仍紧急向埃塞俄比亚、肯尼亚、乌干达3国提供灭蝗物资援助,并从中国-联合国粮农组织南南合作信托基金中安排援助支持3国购买防控物资和开展能力建设。

  

  四、奋力开创中非关系新局面

  

  当前,全球治理体系和国际秩序变革加速推进,国际力量对比深度调整。新冠肺炎疫情进一步凸显世界各国的命运紧密相连。站在历史的又一个十字路口,中非更加需要巩固伙伴关系,构建新时代中非命运共同体。双方将坚定不移深化传统友好,坚定不移推进互利合作,坚定不移维护共同利益,继续发挥中非合作论坛引领作用,推动“一带一路”建设走实走深,不断推动中非全面战略合作伙伴关系向更高层次、更广领域发展,共同创造中非合作更加美好的明天。

  

  (一)中非合作论坛引领对非合作

  

  为共同应对经济全球化挑战,谋求共同发展,在中非双方共同倡议下,中非合作论坛首届部长级会议于2000年10月在北京召开,中非合作论坛(以下简称“论坛”)正式成立。经过20多年的发展,论坛已成为中非开展集体对话的重要平台和务实合作的有效机制,成为新时代引领国际对非合作的一面旗帜。

  目前论坛有中国、53个同中国建交的非洲国家、非盟委员会共55个成员。论坛部长级会议每三年举行一届,轮流在中国和非洲国家举行。中国和承办会议的非洲国家担任共同主席国,共同主持会议并牵头落实会议成果。根据中非双方共识,部分部长级会议升格为峰会。论坛迄今已举行3次峰会(2006年11月北京峰会、2015年12月约翰内斯堡峰会、2018年9月北京峰会)、7届部长级会议,制定出一系列重要的纲领性合作文件,推动实施了一系列支持非洲发展、深化中非友好互利合作的重大举措,取得丰硕成果。

  2021年11月底,新一届论坛会议将在论坛非方共同主席国塞内加尔举行。这次会议将评估2018年论坛北京峰会成果落实情况,并对下阶段中非友好合作作出规划,是疫情背景下中非共商合作大计、推进共同发展的重要外交活动,对推动疫后非洲、中国乃至世界经济复苏发展具有重要意义。中方将同非方共同努力、密切配合,对接中国第二个百年奋斗目标和非盟《2063年议程》,围绕健康卫生、投资贸易、工业化、农业现代化、应对气候变化、数字经济等重点领域和方向对论坛新一届会议的成果和举措进行设计和磋商,努力把会议办成凝聚中非团结新共识、挖掘中非合作新领域、带给中非人民新福祉的盛会。

  

  (二)推动共建“一带一路”合作走向深入

  

  非洲是“一带一路”的历史和自然延伸。历史上,海上丝绸之路为非洲带去了中国的茶叶、瓷器和发展经验,增进了中非人民友好情谊和文明互鉴,成为永载史册的中非友谊之路。共建“一带一路”倡议提出以来,得到非洲国家的积极支持和踊跃参与。非洲成为参与“一带一路”合作最积极的方向之一,中非共建“一带一路”合作前景广阔。

  “一带一路”不是“独奏曲”,而是需要中国和非洲国家共同参与的“协奏曲”。2015年12月,南非成为第一个同中国签署“一带一路”合作文件的非洲国家。2017年、2019年,肯尼亚、埃塞俄比亚、埃及、吉布提、莫桑比克等国领导人出席“一带一路”国际合作高峰论坛,为“一带一路”合作机制发展作出积极贡献。在2018年中非合作论坛北京峰会上,中非双方一致同意要加强共建“一带一路”合作。截至目前,几乎所有同中国建交的非洲国家都已经同中国签署共建“一带一路”合作文件。非盟委员会并同中国签署了《中华人民共和国政府与非洲联盟关于共同推进“一带一路”建设的合作规划》,这是中国同区域性国际组织签署的第一份共建“一带一路”规划类合作文件。

  近年来,在“一带一路”合作的带动下,中非互联互通加速发展。亚的斯亚贝巴-吉布提铁路、肯尼亚蒙巴萨-内罗毕铁路、刚果(布)国家1号公路、塞内加尔捷斯-图巴高速公路、加蓬让蒂尔港-翁布埃沿海路及博韦大桥、尼日利亚铁路现代化一期二期项目相继完工通车,吉布提多哈雷多功能港、多哥洛美集装箱码头等有效提升当地转口贸易能力,为地区互联互通和一体化进程发挥了重要作用。截至目前,中国已与21个非洲国家正式签署了民用航空运输协定,与12个非洲国家建立了双边适航关系;并与8个非洲国家签订了双边政府间海运协定。

  当前中非都进入新的发展阶段。中国推动构建以国内大循环为主体、国内国际双循环相互促进的新发展格局,将为非洲发展带来更多“中国机遇”。非洲自贸区正式实施,非洲经济一体化和区域经济融合加速推进,给中非合作扩展更大发展空间。中非双方将以高质量共建“一带一路”为抓手,进一步推动共建“一带一路”合作倡议同非盟《2063年议程》、联合国2030年可持续发展议程以及非洲各国发展战略深度对接,深化中非各领域务实合作,把“一带一路”建设成为中非之间的和平之路、繁荣之路、开放之路、绿色之路、创新之路和文明之路,共筑“新时代中非命运共同体”。



  (三)与时俱进、推动中非关系实现新跨越

  

  中非关系保持旺盛生命力的“秘诀”,就是与时俱进、开拓创新。半个多世纪以来,在中非关系发展的每一个关键时期,中非双方都能登高望远,找到中非合作新的契合点和增长点,推动中非关系实现新的跨越。站在新的历史起点上,中国将坚持以习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想和习近平外交思想为指导,秉持真实亲诚理念和正确义利观,同非洲国家一道,继续谱写推动中非合作高质量发展、共筑新时代中非命运共同体的辉煌篇章。

  ——厚植友好基础,推动中非政治互信不断迈上新台阶。中国将同非方继续保持高层交往势头,推动双方政党、立法机构、协商机构、地方政府友好合作,深化治国理政和发展经验交流互鉴、加强战略沟通与互信;充分发挥双方智库、媒体、高校和民间机构积极作用,构建全方位、多层次、宽领域的中非人文交流新格局,促进双方民心相通,继承和发扬牢不可摧的中非传统友谊。

  ——抗击新冠肺炎疫情,打造中非卫生健康共同体。中国将继续向非洲国家全面战胜新冠肺炎疫情提供帮助,分享统筹推进常态化疫情防控和经济社会发展的经验,加快推进中非疫苗合作。中非卫生健康合作不仅针对一时一事,将着眼长远助力非洲完善公共卫生体系、提高传染病防控能力,推动构建新时代中非卫生健康共同体。

  ——推动共同发展,培育和拓展互利合作新动能。随着中非各自进入新的发展阶段,双方发展阶段梯次衔接的优势更加明显,双方合作也进入提质增效的新阶段,中非互利合作之路将越走越宽。双方将积极支持中非企业深入发掘合作潜力,培育电子商务、5G网络、绿色经济等新的合作增长点,在面向未来发展的关键领域拓展合作,共同支持全球发展倡议,打造全球发展命运共同体,推动实现高质量、可持续的共同发展,造福中非人民。

  ——密切国际协作,推动建设更加公正合理的国际秩序。中非是维护发展中国家共同利益、促进世界和平发展的重要力量。中非将进一步加强战略沟通,密切国际事务协调,旗帜鲜明地维护国际关系民主化的大方向,齐心协力应对疫情、减贫、反恐、气候变化等全人类共同挑战,坚定捍卫真正的多边主义和发展中国家共同利益,共同维护以联合国为核心的国际体系、以国际法为基础的国际秩序、以联合国宪章宗旨和原则为基础的国际关系基本准则,推动全球治理体系朝着更加公正合理的方向发展。

  

  结束语

  

  中国历史性地解决了绝对贫困问题,全面建成小康社会,迈上全面建设社会主义现代化国家新征程,正向着第二个百年奋斗目标进军。非洲联合自强势头强劲,在国际事务中的影响力不断上升,正在推进自由贸易区建设,加快工业化和现代化进程,朝着非盟《2063年议程》描绘的美好梦想前行。

  当今世界正面临百年未有之大变局,面对新的机遇和挑战,中国和非洲更需要团结合作。中国将继续坚定支持非洲国家走符合自身国情的发展道路,支持非洲一体化建设和非洲国家维护主权、安全和发展利益,同非洲国家携手共建“一带一路”,构建更加紧密的中非命运共同体,更好造福中非人民,为建设持久和平、共同繁荣的世界,构建人类命运共同体作出新的更大贡献。

 

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