On August 23, 2024, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs held a briefing for Chinese and foreign media on President Xi Jinping’s attendance at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) and related events. Vice Foreign Minister Chen Xiaodong briefed on that and answered questions from the journalists.

Chen Xiaodong said, the 2024 Summit of the FOCAC will be held in Beijing from September 4 to 6. The leaders of China and Africa will gather around the theme “Joining Hands to Advance Modernization and Build a High-Level China-Africa Community with a Shared Future” to celebrate friendship and chart the way forward for cooperation. This marks another grand reunion of the China-Africa big family following the 2006 Beijing Summit, the 2015 Johannesburg Summit, and the 2018 Beijing Summit of the FOCAC. It is also the largest diplomatic event China has hosted in recent years, with the highest attendance of foreign leaders. Leaders of many African countries and the Chairperson of the African Union Commission will lead delegations to participate in the Summit. The UN Secretary-General will be a special guest and relevant international and regional organizations will also attend the Summit as observers. 

Chen Xiaodong said that the Summit will hold a welcoming banquet, opening ceremony, four high-level meetings on the topics of state governance, industrialization and agricultural modernization, peace and security, high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, as well as the eighth Conference of Chinese and African Entrepreneurs and other related activities. President Xi Jinping will deliver an important keynote speech to elaborate on the new ideas and propositions on building a high-level community with a shared future between China and Africa, and announce new actions and measures for practical cooperation with Africa. President Xi Jinping will also hold related bilateral activities for foreign leaders attending the Summit. The Summit will also adopt two outcome documents, the Declaration and the Action Plan, to build major consensus between the two sides and chart a path for implementing high-quality China-Africa cooperation in the next three years.

Chen Xiaodong pointed out that over the 24 years since the establishment of the FOCAC, particularly in the new era, the Forum has always adhered to the principles of planning together, building together, and benefiting together. The development of the Forum has been remarkable, making it a “golden brand” of China-Africa cooperation and a banner for leading international cooperation with Africa and for deepening Global South cooperation. Under the joint concern and contribution of President Xi Jinping and African leaders, China and Africa have focused on friendly cooperation, steadily advancing the development of the Forum and the implementation of its outcomes, propelling China-Africa relations to make great strides forward and achieve leapfrog development.

First, the building of a China-Africa community with a shared future is advancing to a higher level. President Xi Jinping attaches great importance to China-Africa relations, and during his first overseas visit as state president in 2013, he visited Africa, where he proposed the principle of sincerity, real results, amity and good faith and the principle of pursuing the greater good and shared interests. He pointed out that China and Africa have always been a community with a shared future. President Xi Jinping has visited Africa five times, attended two FOCAC summits, and chaired the Extraordinary China-Africa Summit on Solidarity Against COVID-19 and the China-Africa Leaders’ Dialogue. He summarized the spirit of China-Africa friendship and cooperation and in person charted the course for the development of China-Africa relations in the new era. Under the guidance of head-of-state diplomacy, China-Africa relations have entered a new phase of building a high-level China-Africa community with a shared future. The building of a China-Africa community with a shared future continues to be at the forefront of building a community with a shared future for mankind.

Second, mutually beneficial cooperation between China and Africa is advancing toward higher-quality development. President Xi Jinping pointed out that on the path to modernization, China has all along been a firm supporter, and walking side by side with Africa. Both sides have synergized the Belt and Road Initiative and the Global Development Initiative with the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the development strategies of African countries. Based on the platform of the FOCAC, China and African nations have jointly implemented the ten cooperation plans, eight major initiatives, and nine programs, to continuously improve and upgrade China-Africa cooperation. China is the largest developing country investor in Africa and has remained Africa’s largest trading partner for 15 consecutive years, demonstrating the strong resilience and vitality of China-Africa cooperation.

Third, the strategic coordination between China and Africa is advancing to deeper levels. President Xi Jinping emphasized that no matter how the international landscape may evolve, China shall never waver in its determination to pursue greater solidarity and cooperation with Africa. China and Africa, adhering to the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, continue to deepen strategic mutual trust and consistently support each other on issues concerning their core interests. Both sides jointly advocate for an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, jointly promote and implement the three global initiatives, safeguard international fairness and justice, and enhance the global governance system. China and Africa have become a model of solidarity and cooperation for the “Global South”.

Fourth, China-Africa people-to-people and cultural exchanges are expanding into broader areas. President Xi Jinping pointed out that the peoples of China and Africa are destined to be good friends. In recent years, civil exchanges between China and Africa have been active and frequent, with a variety of cultural exchange activities such as the China-Africa Youth Gala. The “Shared Space China-Africa Dreams” exhibition in China’s Tian’gong space station displays the paintings carrying the dreams of African youth. Chinese and African scholars jointly proposed the “China-Africa Dar es Salaam Consensus” at the China-Africa Think Tanks Forum, which offered solutions, ideas and proposals to address major issues and challenges facing today’s world, reflecting the shared aspirations of the “Global South”.

Chen Xiaodong said, the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China made strategic plans for further deepening reform comprehensively to advance Chinese modernization, which will bring more opportunities and hopes to countries in the world, including Africa. This Summit will pool extensive consensus for the two sides to meet challenges and build a broad platform for sharing development opportunities. China is ready to seize this important opportunity with Africa to embark on a new journey toward modernization together, further elevate the building of a China-Africa community with a shared future to new heights, and continue writing a new chapter in the mutual understanding, affinity and friendship between the people of China and Africa. Together, they will send a powerful message of Africa and China taking part in and leading the reform of the global governance system, so as to gather strong momentum to advancing world modernization.

Chen Xiaodong also answered questions on the development of the FOCAC and the high-level meetings, among others.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China.