By Busayo Sotunde
VENTURES AFRICA – Ahead of the fifth ministerial conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), China’s Deputy Foreign Minister Zhai Jun, has revealed that Chinese President Hu Jintao will announce new measures to strengthen cooperation with Africa, which will cover investment, finance, African integration, peace and security as well as people-to-people exchanges.
Zhai said this in a speech entitled “Broad Prospects for the New Type of China-Africa Strategic Partnership” at the seventh Lanting Forum, a seminar on relations between China and Africa.
Chinese President Hu Jintao and several African leaders will attend the opening ceremony of FOCAC. Also, the Chinese Foreign Minister Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, Commerce Minister Chen Deming as well as foreign and economic ministers of 50 African countries, and the Chairperson of the AU Commission will participate in the Conference.
Billed for Beijing on the 19th and 20th July, under the theme: “Building on past achievements and opening up new prospects for the new type of China-Africa strategic partnership”, the two sides aim to achieve the following objectives at the conference: first, to take stock of the implementation of the follow-up actions of the Fourth Ministerial Conference; second, to explore ways and means to deepen the new type of strategic partnership and further develop FOCAC; third, to identify the priority areas of and main measures for China-Africa cooperation in the next three years and formulate an action plan accordingly; and fourth, to exchange views on major regional and international issues to better safeguard and expand common interests.
China and African countries will identify the priority areas of and main measures for China-Africa cooperation in the next three years and formulate an action plan accordingly, said Zhai.
In terms of conference outcomes, two documents will be released, which are the Beijing Declaration of the Fifth Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and the Fifth Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Beijing Action Plan(2013-2015).
Meanwhile, the Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister has pointed out that Africa is not any country’s “cheese” but belongs to the African people. He said this in answer to foreign criticism that China has moved in on others “cheese” as it strengthens ties with Africa and damaged other countries’ interests there.
“I wish to point out that Africa belongs to the Africans – it is not anyone’s ‘cheese’. Any country that wishes to develop cooperation with Africa must respect the ownership of African countries,” Zhai said.
“In a globalised world, countries’ destinies are closely linked. China’s relations with Africa are open and inclusive.”
Since the inception of the ministerial meeting between China and Africa leaders in 2000, trade between China and Africa reached $166.3 billion in 2011; 16 times higher from the 2000 level – with Africa running a trade surplus of $20.1 billion.
In 2010, 49 African countries saw increase in their exports to China, and between 2000 and 2011, African exports to China have been growing rapidly, from $5.6 billion to $93.2 billion
As of April this year, China’s total direct investment in Africa reached $15.3 billion, and more than 2,000 Chinese enterprises have invested or started business in 50 African countries.
With more than 2,000 Chinese enterprises currently investing in Africa, China has been Africa’s largest trading partner since 2009.
“Despite the negative impact of the global financial crisis, China-Africa cooperation has shown robust growth,” Zhai said.
However, while agreeing that the ties between China and Africa are “not perfect” as a result of complaints that Chinese companies and workers in Africa have taken opportunities from local people; Zhai said the Chinese government is ready to work with Africa to deal with them properly.
“This is not the result of Chinese government policy, and they are issues that can be resolved through deeper cooperation and friendly consultation. We take these issues very seriously and stand ready to work with Africa to deal with them properly,” Zhai said.
The veteran diplomat noted that China’s relations with African regional organisations and the African Union in particular, has become a new bright spot in China-Africa relations. China-Africa cooperation on international and regional affairs has kept expanding, Zhai said.
The Chinese deputy Foreign Minister acknowledged that tariff exemption and other measures adopted by China to boost African exports have begun to show effect while China has intensified its engagement in Africa’s peace and security affairs.
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