China, Africa face opportunities together

China and Africa are facing a historic opportunity to synergize their respective development strategies, a Chinese official has said.

While addressing participants at a 2018 seminar for journalists from Kenya, Ren Xiaoping, an official from the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said Africa enjoys unique advantages of abundant natural and human resources, great market potential and is committed to the Africa Union 2063 agenda to accelerate its industrialization and agricultural modernization.

On the other hand, China has comparative development advantages in capital, technology, equipment, personnel, development experience, and production capacity.

"China is ready to support Africa in its efforts to address three major bottlenecks impeding development, namely lack of quality infrastructure, professional and skilled personnel and financial resources," she said.

Ren added China will support Africa in developing self-sustainable systems of industrialization, food security and public health.

"We have the reasons to believe that, by implementing the China-Africa ten cooperation plans and the AU 2063 agenda, we can deliver more tangible benefits to people from both parties," she said.

Ren said several factors are behind the growth of the China-Africa relationship, with the first one being respects for ownership. She said China supports African countries' efforts in actively exploring the path of development suitable to their own situations.

"This path should never be the Washington consensus nor the China model, but the African initiative. China will never act as a lecturer, nor will it attach political strings, interfere with affairs of African countries or impose its will upon Africa," she said.

Ren noted China will never issue an empty check and that the Asian country always seeks to resolve problems arising in cooperation through friendly consultation.

Another factor behind the strong China-Africa relationship is an emphasis on treating each other with equality.

She noted in conducting cooperation with Africa, China always abides by the guidelines of sincerity, real results, affinity and good faith as well as the policy of upholding justice and pursuing shared interests.

"We combine the sustainable self-development of Africa and other developing countries with China’s own development closely together to achieve win-win cooperation," she said.

The fact China and Africa can complement each other, Ren said, is another reason for their strong cooperation. "China has experience in development, technology, capital and market, which can help in breaking the bottleneck of Africa in infrastructure and talent shortage."

Ren noted China can help turn the rich natural and human resources in Africa into a driving force for development.

"It is my hope in the near future, Africa will shift its model of exporting raw materials and establish a complete industrial chain. There are more goods jointly made by China and Africa in the international market," she said.