By Dong Xue

DELEGATIONS from dozens of African countries have gathered in the Chinese capital Beijing for the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Co-operation (Focac).

The three-day summit, organised under the theme, “Joining Hands to Advance Modernisation and Build a High-Level China-Africa Community with a Shared Future”, will be a defining moment for both sides, shaping the trajectory of this vital partnership.

Ahead of the summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa held talks in Beijing as they upgraded bilateral relations into an “all-round strategic co-operative partnership in the new era”, according to a joint statement.

The two leaders agreed their co-operative partnership must be underpinned by “strong political ties and focused on a prosperous future with balanced trade and accelerated, transformative, economic growth”.

They reaffirmed that they both “cherish the special and ever-growing friendship between their countries”.

This meeting marked the fifth time the two leaders met. Last year, Xi visited South Africa for the BRICS summit, where the two sides praised the rapid development of China-South Africa relations since diplomatic ties were established 26 years ago. They noted that bilateral ties are in a golden era due to greater co-operation across many sectors.

The South African ambassador to China, Siyabonga Cyprian Cwele, told CGTN in Beijing: “The bilateral relationship boasts growing global significance and strategic influence, setting a fine example of developing countries from the Global South working together in solidarity, for purposes of common development.”

The ambassador said the development goals of the two countries are reciprocal. The AU is implementing its Agenda 2063, a key programme for the continent. China is also pursuing its second centenary milestone, which is equally significant for the country.

Cwele said Focac serves as a bridge to align these key programmes, facilitating faster progress for both sides. During the meeting with Ramaphosa, Xi said China is “committed to expanding solidarity and co-operation with South Africa”.

He emphasised Beijing’s commitment to sharing its experiences in poverty alleviation, rural revitalisation and building model villages, while supporting co-ordinated urban and rural development in South Africa.

The two leaders also agreed to work together to “build an equal and orderly multipolar world and universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalisation,” the statement said.

“That’s the most important thing,” Siyabonga said, “because China and Africa, particularly my country and the African continent as a whole, share similar views. We prefer peace and development to war and the fuelling of conflicts. We know you cannot have sustainable development under conditions of conflict.”

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Forging a high-level China-Africa community with a shared future