Chinese FM delivers report at FOCAC ministerial conference

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi delivers a report at the Sixth Ministerial Conference of The Forum on China-Africa Cooperation held in Pretoria, South Africa Dec 3, 2015.[Photo by Hou Liqiang/chinadaily.com.cn]

Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi delivered a report at the Sixth Ministerial Conference of The Forum on China-Africa Cooperation held in Pretoria, South Africa Thursday.

The following is the full text of Wang's report.

Report by H.E. Wang Yi Minister of Foreign Affairs of The People's Republic of China

At the Sixth Ministerial Conference of The Forum on China-Africa Cooperation

Pretoria, 3 December 2015

Colleagues,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Friends,

It gives me great honor to deliver a report on the follow-up actions of the Fifth Ministerial Conference of FOCAC on behalf of the Chinese FOCAC Follow-up Committee.

 In accordance with the Beijing Declaration and the Beijing Action Plan (2013-2015) adopted at the Fifth Ministerial Conference in Beijing in July 2012, the Chinese government announced a package of new measures for cooperation with Africa, covering five key areas, namely, investment and financing, assistance, African integration, people-to-people exchanges, and peace and security in Africa. Thanks to our joint efforts in the past three years and more, solid progress has been made in the follow-up actions in the five key areas. We have accomplished and even exceeded our set targets. Here is what we have achieved.

First, China and Africa have deepened strategic mutual trust and traditional friendship. The frequent political exchanges and dialogue between the two sides have provided further guidance for China-Africa cooperation. In March 2013, President Xi Jinping visited three African countries, he this became the first Chinese president to choose Africa as the destination of his first overseas trip after taking office. During the visit, he put forward the principles of sincerity, practical results, affinity and good faith as well as the approach of upholding the values of friendship, justice and shared interests, charting the course for the growth and China-Africa relations in the new era. In May 2014, Premier Li Keqiang visited Africa, where he proposed the initiatives of "Six Major Projects" and "Three Major Networks" for China-Africa cooperation and laid out overall plans for advancing China-Africa cooperation. Leaders of the two sides have also held frequent bilateral meetings at the UN and other multilateral fora. Other Chinese leaders have visited Africa many times as well, including Chairman of the National People's Congress Zhang Dejiang, Chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference Yu Zhengsheng and State Councilor Yang Jiechi.

Over the past three years and more, many African leaders have visited China or attended important events in China, including 46 heads of state or government, 11 speakers of parliament, and 22 vice presidents or deputy prime ministers. The number and frequency of such visits have been much higher than before. This fully demonstrates that China-Africa relations are high on the diplomatic agenda of leaders of both sides.

Chinese foreign ministers have a tradition of visiting Africa on their overseas trip each year. I myself have kept this tradition. I have paid visits to 16 African countries and received 50 African foreign ministers in China. I have also attended the Third Round of Political Consultations Between Chinese and African Foreign Ministers in New York in September 2013, and held strategic dialogues or foreign ministry political consultations with my counterparts from 12 African countries.

Confronted with an increasingly complicated regional and international landscape, China and Africa have extended mutual understanding and support on issues concerning each other's core interests and major concerns. China has all along supported African countries in independently choosing and improving development paths suited to their own conditions, and opposed external interference in Africa's internal affairs. Meanwhile, on issues concerning China's core and major interests such as sovereignty, security and development, African countries have always firmly supported China's positions and propositions. At international fora, the two sides have maintained close cooperation on global issues such as the UN reform, climate change, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and counter-terrorism, and upheld the common interests of China and Africa and other developing countries.

In August last year, the Ebola epidemic broke out in West Africa. At this critical moment when the African people are faced with grave dangers and difficulties, the Chinese government took the lead in offering prompt assistance. We carried out the largest overseas campaign of medical assistance since the founding of New China. We provided a large number of epidemic prevention and treatment materials for the people of the three affected countries with 23 chartered flights. We did not withdraw a single diplomat or expert. Instead, we sent to those countries over 1,200 medical experts and workers who fought shoulder to shoulder with the local people. In August this year, President Xi Jinping instructed me to visit the three affected countries in West Africa and explore the cooperation opportunities with them in post-Ebola economies and social reconstruction. Our joint fight against Ebola provides a vital example of the brotherly friendship between China and Africa and opens a new chapter of China-Africa solidarity through thick and thin. We feel heartened and proud that we were the first to extend a helping hand and offer full support to our African brothers in their successful fight against Ebola.

Second, China-Africa practical cooperation has brought fruitful benefits to the people of both sides. China has been Africa's biggest trading partner for six years in a row. And China-Africa trade has been above US$200 billion for two consecutive years. China has further opened its market to Africa, giving zero-tariff treatment to 21 African countries for exports under 97% of tariff items.

In the past three years, China offered US$31.52 billion of credit lines to African countries, exceeding its US$20 commitment. By the end of 2014, the stock of China's non-financial direct investment in Africa topped US$32.35 billion. Over 3,000 Chinese companies are operating in Africa. With Chinese investment in Africa growing much faster than trade with Africa, the structure of China-Africa economic cooperation is getting optimized.

China-Africa cooperation in industrialization has delivered new fruits. China fully supports African countries in removing the two major bottlenecks impeding development, namely backward infrastructure and inadequate skilled personnel. The two sides have started cooperation in the "three networks and industrialization". The Addis Ababa-Djibouti railway and Mombasa-Nairobi railway funded and undertaken by China will be completed next year and the year after next. They have become important early harvest projects. China has also over-delivered on its commitment of training 30,000 professional personnel and providing 18,000 government scholarships for Africa and helped build 21 cultural and vocational skills training facilities in Africa.

China-Africa cooperation in livelihood projects has made new headway. China has built five new agricultural technology demonstration centers in Africa, continued to send agricultural experts, and encouraged Chinese companies to invest more in agriculture in Africa. China sent 1,771 medical workers to 42 African countries, carried out "Brightness Action" campaign to provide free cataract treatment in 10 African countries, and helped Comoros become less vulnerable to malaria.

China has actively implemented China-Africa Science and Technology Partnership and the "science and technology for a better life" campaign in Africa, launched with some African countries joint research centers and labs, and put in place the Talented Young Scientist Program and other exchange mechanisms. China increased support for Africa in ecological and environmental protection, providing US$10 million in grants to Africa for wildlife protection, partnering with many African countries to crack down on ivory trafficking and other wildlife-related illegal trade. In February this year, China announced a temporary ban on the import of African ivory products acquired after the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora entered in effect. China also funded the development of seven meteorological infrastructure projects, and nine forest protection programs in Africa.

China has actively supported African integration. The Chinese Mission to the African Union has formally started operation. AU Chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and Deputy Chairperson Erastus Mwencha visited China respectively. The two sides held two rounds of Strategic Dialogue and launched the sub-session on peace and security affairs under the frameworks. China continues to provide assistance to the AU and support the AU in capacity building and carrying out peacekeeping operations and counter-epidemic campaigns. China established the Joint Commission on Economy and Trade with ECOWAS and held consultations with the Secretariat of the East African Community and the ECOWAS Commission.

Third, China-Africa people-to-people and cultural exchanges have thrived, and the popular support for our traditional friendship has grown stronger. China-Africa exchanges between peoples, think tanks, higher education institutions and media have flourished. By the end of 2014, we had carried out 141 programs in 49 African countries under "China-Africa" people-to-people friendship action", promoting social welfare and helping vulnerable groups. China-Africa joint research and exchange plan was implemented smoothly, completing all the 100 research programs within three years. Long-term partnerships have been established between 20 paired higher education institutions and research institutes in China and Africa. China-Africa Press Exchange Center invited 19 journalists from 17 African countries to China for long-term visits and exchanges. Media outlets from any African countries, including South Africa, Nigeria and Ghana, sent delegations to visit China, and Chinese mainstream media increased on-site reporting in Africa.

China-Africa cultural exchanges have been further expanded. Programs such as Cultures in Focus, China-Africa mutual visits by cultural personnel and China-Africa Cultural Cooperation Partnership have been implemented smoothly. Cultural exchanges are increasingly vigorous. The Year of China in South African leader, together with other African leaders, will attend the closing ceremony gala of the Year of China in South Africa.

China-Africa cultural and tourism links are increasingly stronger. So far, 45 Confucius Institutes and 24 Confucius Classrooms have been established in Africa and 24 African countries have become destinations of outbound Chinese tourist groups. In 2014, 3,062,400 Chinese nationals made Africa the first stop of their trips, registering a year-on-year increase of 61.65%.

Fourth, China-Africa peace and security cooperation has made steady progress and covered more areas. China actively implemented the Initiative on China-Africa Cooperative Partnership for Peace and Security, and supported African countries and regional organization in strengthening their capacity for maintaining peace and stability. China continued to provide funding for AU peacekeeping operations in Somalia. In September this year, President Xi pledged during the UN General Assembly session US$100 million of free military aid to the AU to support the building of the African Standby Force and the African Capacity for Immediate Response to Crisis.

China firmly supports Africans in addressing African issues in an African way, actively facilitates peace talks, and pushes for political settlement of hotspot issues in Africa. Early this year, the Special Consultation in Support of the IGAD-led South Sudan Peace Process was held at China's initiates, representing an active effort to find solutions to hotspot African issues through a distinct Chinese approach. The Special Representatives of the Chinese Government on African Affairs visited Africa frequently on mediation mission to resolve hotspot issues.  

China has spoken up for African at the UN and on other multilateral occasions, and taken an active part in UN peacekeeping and escort missions in Africa. Today, more than 2,700 Chinese peacekeepers are working in seven UN operations in Africa, making China the largest contributor of peacekeepers among the five permanent members of the UN Security Council. Since 2009, China has been consistently engaged in escort missions in the Gulf of Aden and the waters off the coast of Somalia.

Fifth, the mechanisms of the FOCAC have been improving, making it an important hallmark of China-Africa cooperation. All FOCAC mechanisms have been running effectively. The political consultation between Chinese and African foreign ministers on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly and Senior Officials Meeting were held on schedule. The Secretariat of the Chinese Follow-up Committee conducted 14 rounds of consultations with African diplomatic missions in China, communicating and coordinating effectively on FOCAC matters and China-African cooperation.

Important headway has been made in building sub-forums of FOCAC. Sub-forums on people-to-people exchanges, media, law and think tanks are more and more mature. New sub-forums, such as the Ministerial Forum on China-Africa Health Cooperation, ministerial dialogue on environmental protection cooperation, roundtable conference on the cultural industry, media forum and industrial park forum, are also emerging. All of this has enriched China-Africa cooperation, expended the influence of FOCAC, and continued to play an exemplary and guiding role in international cooperation with Africa.

Colleagues,

China-Africa cooperation over the past three years has produced fruitful and tangible results, bringing real benefits to the peoples of China and Africa. This fully testifies to the purposes of the forum, which aims to promote solidarity, development and cooperation. This is also the source of its strength and appeal.

This year marks the 15th anniversary of FOCAC, China-Africa relations now stand at a new historical starting point and our cooperation faces rare historical opportunities. The theme of this summit is "Africa-China Progressing Together: Win-Win Cooperation for Common Development".

It speaks to the sincere and friendly nature of China-Africa relations, reflects and the need of the times to build a new type of international relations and envisages a great future for China-Africa cooperation. At the summit, China will propose an upgrading of China-Africa strategic partnership to better reflect the dynamics of this relationship and guide its future growth. In relation to theme, China will put forward a comprehensive package of new measures to support Africa's development, promote China-Africa cooperation, and push for better and faster growth of China-Africa relations to the benefit of both people.

I look forward to sincere cooperation with all my colleagues present to successfully accomplish the tasks of this ministerial conference and lay a solid foundation for tomorrow's summit. I believe with our concerted efforts, the summit will be a resounding success.

Thank you.