The recent conference on China and Africa in Addis Ababa Photo: GUO HE

ADDIS ABABA–The International Conference on China and Africa: Jointly Promoting Sustainable Development was held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Dec. 6–7, 2019. More than 300 scholars, government officials, business leaders, media personnel from China and many African countries as well as representatives of such international organizations as the African Union (AU) attended the seminar.

Xie Fuzhan, CASS president, Liu Yuxi, ambassador and head of the Chinese Mission to AU, and Albert Muchanga, AU commissioner for trade and industry, addressed the opening ceremony. Arkebe Oqubay, senior minister and special adviser to the Ethiopian prime minister, also gave a keynote speech. The opening ceremony was co-chaired by Osama Abdel Khalek, ambassador of Egypt to AU and Li Xinfeng, executive vice-president of the China-Africa Institute.

Xie said in his speech that over the past few decades, China has followed the principle of sincerity, real results, amity and good faith and the principle of pursuing the greater good and shared interests. China has stood with African countries. Together, we have worked in unity and forged ahead. Amid international vicissitudes, China and Africa have become a close-knit community with a shared future.

At the 2018 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), both sides agreed to work together toward an even stronger China-Africa community with a shared future featuring joint responsibility, win-win cooperation, happiness for all, cultural prosperity, common security and harmony between man and nature. This agreement has pointed the way for the building of such a community for mankind, Xie continued.

“We also have to put in place the eight actions that were highlighted in the FOCAC 2018 Beijing Summit, and strengthen the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the two parties,” Xie said.

He said despite the chaotic international situation, China and Africa have been able to counter global development challenges, shaping international development momentum and building an inclusive and integrated development governance structure. The two parties should strengthen their strategic partnership, solve development challenges, and strengthen exchanges and mutual learning. China will join hands with countries all over the world, including African countries, to reach for a higher-quality, more efficient, fairer and more sustainable development pattern.

Scholars at the forum also conducted in-depth discussions on such topics as economic transformation and growth, ecological environmental protection, debt management, education, social sustainable development, natural resource management, urbanization, the Africa Continental Free Trade Area, and the Belt and Road initiative, etc.

During the conference, the China-Africa Institute initiated the implementation of a sustainable development exchange mechanism, aimed at opening new exchange opportunities for Chinese and African think tanks. Activities such as joint research projects, training programs and high-level conferences will be held under the mechanism.