Beijing felt the magical warmth of Africa over the past two days
even though the city was hit by a cold spell.
China and Africa announced two blueprints yesterday to move
their bilateral relations to a higher level.
The Beijing Declaration delivered by the China-Africa Forum has
charted a new political roadmap for the relationship. The action
plan will deliver tangible outcomes over the next three years.
China and Africa have made a long step toward solidifying their
strategic partnership. The nature of diversified channels of
cooperation between the two sides is fascinating.
China offered its promise of assistance to Africa in the two
documents, to help the continent implement its new partnership
program, realize its millennium goals and restart the Doha round of
the World Trade Organization talks.
The two-day Beijing Summit reviewed the 50 years of the
China-Africa relations. It not only represented a watershed but
also inspired new ambitious benchmarks in the relationship.
The two sides have been working out action plans to find out
more dynamics within China-Africa cooperation.
Political and economic ties between China and Africa are growing
at a rate that has the rest of the world sitting up and taking
notice. However, China's blossoming relationship with Africa has
become a source of fear and anxiety for some Western media.
The contacts between China and Africa are aimed at fostering
friendship, cooperation and economic links, yet some media
commentators see it as further evidence of China positioning itself
in Africa at the expense of Western powers.
China stands ready to offer assistance within its capacity to
developing countries in need. The aid is provided sincerely without
conditions attached.
The trade between the two sides, oil and other natural resources
included, is conducted publicly and transparently for mutual
benefit. It has offered Africans affordable goods.
The China-Africa cooperation has given Africa more expansive
room to diversify its contact with the world. Also, it has inherent
mechanisms to reinforce mutual respect for one another.
China has never promoted its mode of economic development on
African soil. It keeps its hands off African countries' internal
affairs and respects their choice of development approaches. The
"please-don't-copy-our-model" advice the then paramount leader Deng
Xiaoping gave the visiting President of Ghana Jerry Rawlings in
September 1985 is an explicit statement of China's purpose. China
has always taken national conditions as the top priority when
formulating policies.
The China-Africa Forum has served as a successful platform for
the two sides for collective consultation and dialogue. It is a
cooperation mechanism between developing countries, which falls in
the category of the South-South cooperation.
China proposed the initiative in the context of the challenges
of the 21st century and the new circumstances it has thrown up,
especially that of economic globalization. As part of the
South-South cooperation, China and Africa should work together to
effectively tackle the challenges of globalization and speak as one
on international matters affecting developing nations.
The political commitments China and Africa have made in the two
important documents are a vivid illustration of the importance the
two sides attach to the growing links.
(China Daily November 6, 2006)