Xi's visit starts new era of China-Africa ties

BEIJING - President Xi Jinping Saturday wrapped up his African tour, which took him to Tanzania, South Africa and the Republic of the Congo.

It was reasonably believed that his successful visit to the three African countries started a new epoch of relations between China and Africa.

The Republic of the Congo, located in central Africa, is one of the first African countries that established diplomatic relations with China, and Tanzania in eastern Africa is among the African countries that have the staunchest ties with China, while South Africa is one of those in the continent that have witnessed the fastest growth in their ties with China.

Old friends or new, Xi's visit has shown the world that the "deep traditional friendship" between China and Africa is advancing with the times.

In the old days, it was the African countries that helped China resume its membership in the United Nations.

In turn, China started to extend assistance to Africa half a century ago, though it was still a poor country at that time.

Their experiences of similar ordeals in history and friend-in-need relations have helped forge a "real feeling" between China and Africa on the basis of sincerity.

China and African countries firmly support each other in issues concerning their core interests as well as major international and regional issues. Some African commentators said that sincerity is the most prominent feature of China's ties with African countries.

Out of the sincerity, China insists that African countries should have the final say on their own affairs. Beijing keeps this basis of its policy on Africa unchanged, regardless of its own rapid development and increased clout on the international arena.

Foreign Policy in Focus, a US research group, has noticed China's respect toward Africa, saying Beijing's economic investment without any political strings attached is gaining popularity in Africa.

China has sincerely helped Africa in its efforts for development. Beijing's involvement in Africa's infrastructure ranges from building schools, hospitals, highways, power stations and ports to drilling water wells.

Meanwhile, China has provided Africa with various technologies spanning from rice planting to resources exploration and extraction, from green energy to 3G know-how, and from technology transfer to personnel training.

With this sincerity, the content and scope of China-Africa cooperation are expanding and keeping in line with the times.

China has not only provided Africa with traditional aid, but also launched mutually-beneficial cooperation in the fields of economy, trade and technology, helping the continent fully tap its potential in development.

With China and Africa both yearning for development, the "Chinese Dream" of national rejuvenation is intimately tied up with the "African Dream" of self-reliance and development.

It was widely expected that after Xi's historical visit to the continent, the new-type strategic partnership between China and Africa will continue to expand, bilateral all-round cooperation will gear up, and their relations will enter a new era.