People's Daily Online -- China cherishes friendly ties with Africa

People's Daily Online -- China cherishes friendly ties with Africa

China cherishes friendly ties with Africa
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The Chinese Government issued the African Policy Paper in Beijing yesterday in a bid to promote steady growth of China-Africa relations in the long term and bring the mutually-beneficial co-operation to a new stage.

The Chinese Government wishes to present to the world the objectives of China's policy towards Africa, the measures to achieve them, and its proposals for co-operation in various fields in the coming years, according to the paper.

This is the first time that the Chinese Government has issued a paper elaborating its policy towards Africa.

The paper, composed of more than 3,000 English words, is divided into six parts, including Africa's position and role, China's relations with Africa, China's African policy, Enhancing all-round co-operation between China and Africa, Forum on China-Africa Co-operation and its follow-up actions, China's relations with African regional organizations.

The paper points out that African countries play an increasingly important role in international affairs as they have actively participated in the South-South co-operation and worked for the North-South dialogue.

It said Africa has a long history, vast expanse of land, rich natural resources and huge potential for development. After many years of struggle, the African people freed themselves from colonial rule, wiped out apartheid, won independence and emancipation, thus making significant contribution to the progress of civilization.

Following their independence, it said, countries in Africa have been conscientiously exploring a road to development suited to their national conditions and seeking peace, stability and development by joint efforts.

Thanks to the concerted efforts of African countries, the Organization of African Unity (OAU) and the African Union (AU), the political situation in Africa has been stable on the whole, regional conflicts are being gradually resolved and economy has been growing for years.

The New Partnership for Africa Development (NEPAD) has drawn up an encouraging picture of African rejuvenation and development.

It said Africa still faces many challenges on its road of development. However, with the persistent efforts of African countries and the continuous support of the international community, Africa will surely surmount difficulties and achieve rejuvenation in the new century.

China's relations with Africa
"The founding of the People's Republic of China and the independence of African countries ushered in a new era in China-Africa relations," the paper stressed.

Sincerity, equality and mutual benefit, solidarity and common development are the principles guiding China-Africa exchange and co-operation.

The paper said China-Africa friendship is embedded in the long history of interchange. Sharing similar historical experience, China and Africa have all along sympathized with and supported each other in the struggle for national liberation and forged a profound friendship.

For over half a century, the two sides have enjoyed close political ties and frequent exchange of high-level visits and people-to-people contacts.

The bilateral trade and economic co-operation have grown rapidly; co-operation in other fields has yielded good results; and consultation and coordination in international affairs have been intensified, the paper said.

China has provided assistance to the best of its ability to African countries, while African countries have also rendered strong support to China on many occasions, it said.

The one-China principle is the political foundation for the establishment and development of China's relations with African countries and regional organizations, according to the Paper.

The Chinese Government appreciates the fact that the overwhelming majority of African countries abide by the one China principle, refuse to have official relations and contacts with Taiwan and support China's great cause of reunification, the paper said.

Among the total 53 countries in Africa, 47 have established diplomatic relations with China.

China stands ready to establish and develop state-to-state relations with countries that have not yet established diplomatic ties with China on the basis of the one China principle.

African policy
As far as the country's African policy is concerned, the paper stipulates that China will develop a new type of strategic partnership with Africa, featuring political equality and mutual trust, economic win-win co-operation and cultural exchange.

The general principles and objectives of China's African policy are as follows:

Sincerity, friendship and equality. China adheres to the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, respects African countries' independent choice of the road of development and supports African countries' efforts to grow stronger through unity.

Mutual benefit, reciprocity and common prosperity. China supports African countries' endeavour for economic development and nation building, carries out co-operation in various forms in the economic and social development, and promotes common prosperity of China and Africa.

Mutual support and close coordination. China will strengthen co-operation with Africa in the UN and other multilateral systems by supporting each other's just demand and reasonable propositions and continue to appeal to the international community to give more attention to questions concerning peace and development in Africa.

Learning from each other and seeking common development. China and Africa will learn from and draw upon each other's experience in governance and development, strengthen exchange and co-operation in education, science, culture and health. Supporting African countries' efforts to enhance capacity building, China will work together with Africa in the exploration of the road of sustainable development.

All-round co-operation
The paper announced that China is ready to enhance all-round co-operation with Africa.

On China-Africa political co-operation, the paper said, China will maintain the momentum of mutual visits and dialogues between Chinese and African leaders, with a view to facilitating communication, deepening friendship and promoting mutual understanding and trust.

China favours increased multi-level and multi-channel friendly exchanges on the basis of mutual respect between China's National People's Congress on the one hand and parliaments of African countries and the Pan-African Parliament of the AU on the other.

The paper also hailed party relations between China and African countries on the basis of the principles of independence, equality, mutual respect and non-interference in each other's internal affairs.

The paper also urged the two sides to establish and improve mechanisms such as national bilateral committees between China and African countries, political consultation between foreign ministries, joint (mixed) committees on trade and economic co-operation and mixed committees on science and technology, so as to institutionalize dialogue and consultation in a flexible and pragmatic manner.

In addition, the paper said China's central government attaches importance to the exchanges between local governments of China and African countries, vigorously supports twin province/state and twin city relationship aimed at facilitating bilateral exchanges and co-operation in local development and administration.

In the economic field, the paper declares that China is willing to negotiate Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with African countries and African regional organizations when conditions are ripe.

The Chinese Government encourages and supports Chinese enterprises' investment and business in Africa.

African countries are welcome to make investment in China and the two sides should work together to create a favourable environment for investment and co-operation and protect the legitimate rights and interests of investors from both sides, the paper said.

The Chinese Government will step up China-Africa co-operation in transportation, communication, water conservancy, electricity and other infrastructures. It will vigorously encourage Chinese enterprises to participate in the building of infrastructure in African countries, scale up their contracts, and gradually establish multilateral and bilateral mechanisms on contractual projects.

According to the paper, the Chinese Government encourages and supports competent Chinese enterprises to cooperate with African nations in various ways on the basis of the principle of mutual benefit and common development, to develop and exploit rationally their resources, with a view to helping African countries translate their advantages in resources into competitive strength, and realize sustainable development in their own countries and the continent as a whole.

China is ready to continue friendly consultation with some African countries with a view to seeking solution to, or reduction of, the debts they owe to China. It will urge the international community, developed countries in particular, to take more substantial action on the issue of debt reduction and relief for African nations.

China will step up co-operation with other countries and international organizations to support the development of Africa and help realize Millennium Development Goals in Africa.

The Chinese Government will also give full play to the role of its "African Human Resources Development Foundation" in training African personnel, the paper stipulated.

China will expand areas of co-operation and provide more input according to the needs of African countries so as to achieve greater results.

Exchange of students between China and Africa will continue, and China will increase the number of government scholarships, continue to send teachers to help African countries in Chinese language teaching and carry out educational assistance project to help develop Africa's weak disciplines.

China intends to strengthen co-operation in such fields as vocational education and distance learning while encouraging exchanges and co-operation between educational and academic institutions of both sides, the paper said.

China is also ready to promote its co-operation with Africa in the fields of science and technology, culture, medicine, media, civil service system and environmental co-operation, and to increase people-to-people exchange between the two sides.

International arena
In the international arena, the Chinese Government supports African nations' desire to be an equal partner in international affairs, the paper said.

China will continue to strengthen solidarity and co-operation with African countries on the international arena, conduct regular exchange of views, coordinate positions on major international and regional issues and stand for mutual support on major issues concerning state sovereignty, territorial integrity, national dignity and human rights.

"China is devoted, as are African nations, to making the UN play a greater role, defending the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, establishing a new international political and economic order featuring justice, rationality, equality and mutual benefit, promoting more democratic international relationship and rule of law in international affairs and safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries," the paper said.

In regard to conflict settlement and peacekeeping operations, China supports the positive efforts by the African Union and other African regional organizations to settle regional conflicts and will provide assistance within its own capacity, the paper said.

China is prepared to promote exchange and co-operation between Chinese and African judicial and law enforcement departments, it said.

Besides, China will cooperate closely with immigration departments of African countries in tackling the problem of illegal migration, it said.

In non-traditional security areas, China will explore more effective ways for closer co-operation with Africa in combating terrorism, small arms smuggling, drug trafficking and transnational economic crimes.

China-Africa forum
In the paper, the Chinese Government hailed the positive role of the Forum on China-Africa Co-operation, saying that the forum has become an effective mechanism for collective dialogue and multilateral co-operation between China and Africa.

The paper said China stands ready to work with African countries to conscientiously implement the Beijing Declaration of the Forum on China-Africa Co-operation, the Program for China-Africa Co-operation in Economic and Social Development and the Forum on China-Africa Co-operation-Addis Ababa Action Plan (2004-06) and its follow-up action plans.

"China will work with African countries within the framework of the Forum to explore new ways to enhance mutual political trust, promote the comprehensive development of pragmatic co-operation, further improve the mechanism of the forum, and try to find the best way for furthering co-operation between the Forum and the New Partnership for Africa's Development," the paper said.

Source: China Daily