Xi's tour expands win-win cooperation between China, Africa: FM
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E-mail Xinhua, March 31, 2013
Chinese President Xi Jinping's first trip abroad as China's new head of state, which has taken him to Russia and three African countries, has carried on the traditional friendship and expanded win-win cooperation between China and Africa, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Sunday.
During the African part of the trip, Xi visited Tanzania, South Africa and the Republic of the Congo. The Chinese leader also attended the fifth BRICS summit held in Durban, South Africa on Tuesday and Wednesday.
It marked the first time the high-profile annual meeting that brings together leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa had come to the African continent.
On the sidelines of the summit, leaders of the five major emerging economies also attended the first BRICS Leaders-Africa Dialogue Forum, which was centered on the cooperation between BRICS and African countries in infrastructure.
On Thursday, the Chinese president had a breakfast meeting with a group of African leaders. They exchanged views on the further development of China-Africa ties.
The Chinese leader, by choosing Africa as one of the stops of his maiden foreign trip, showed that China cherishes its traditional friendship with Africa and has injected fresh meaning into the ties under new circumstances, Wang said.
Xi delivered a speech during his stay in Tanzania, expounding on China's Africa policy in the new time, which features such words and phrases as "sincerity," "real results," "affinity" and "good faith."
The Chinese top leader sent a clear message to the international community that China and Africa have been "a community of shared destinies," and they will forever be reliable friends and sincere partners, according to Wang.
Xi also delivered a speech at the parliament of the Republic of the Congo, dwelling on the China-the Republic of the Congo and China-Africa friendship, recalling stories of Chinese and African people assisting each other, and stressing the importance of cultural and people-to-people exchanges in China-Africa relations.
Wang said Xi's Africa tour has enhanced both sides' will to cooperate.
During his meetings with African leaders, Xi stressed that Africa is a continent full of hope, and that China supports African countries in their efforts to explore the development paths that suit their respective domestic conditions.
The Chinese leader also said his country is fully confident of Africa's future.
For their part, the African leaders said China has chosen the right development path, and they voiced hopes of drawing on China's success of development.
They expected China to increase cooperation with Africa and dismissed the so-called "Chinese neo-colonialism" in Africa, saying the China-Africa cooperation, aimed at mutual benefits and win-win results, is welcomed by the African people.
One of the African leaders said the African people will not be misled by such "ill-disposed" allegations, and that the Chinese dream benefits not only the Chinese people but also Africa and the whole world, Wang said.
Furthermore, the Chinese leader's trip enhanced and expanded China-Africa cooperation, the top Chinese diplomat said.
African leaders said they long for Chinese support and assistance in their relatively poor infrastructure construction, a problem that has been a major bottleneck for the continent's development.
Xi answered to the needs of African nations by pledging to boost China-Africa cooperative partnerships in transnational and trans-regional infrastructure construction to facilitate connectivity in Africa.
During his three-country Africa tour, Xi witnessed the signing of more than 40 cooperation agreements, including documents on large-scale projects conducive to improving the livelihood of the African people.
The Chinese leader also announced a host of measures to support Africa, including increasing assistance to the continent and expanding China-Africa cooperation in finance and human resources.
Xi stressed China will keep every commitment it has made to Africa, both in letter and in spirit, and China will attach no political strings in the process, so as to help African nations translate their advantages in natural resources into advantages in development and to help them achieve diversified, independent and sustainable development.
The Chinese leader also attended inauguration ceremonies of several China-aided projects on medical service and education.
Speaking of the Chinese companies operating in Africa, Xi urged them to fulfill their social responsibilities and bring benefits to the local people.
