Africa Mission Upgrade

　　Follo wing in the wake of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Tanzania， South Africa and the Republicof the Congo in March 2013， Premier Li Keqiangembarked on an eight-day state visit to Ethiopia， Nigeria，Angola Kenya and African Union Headquarters May4-11.

　　The two visits within such a short period of time indicate that the new Chinese leadership continuesto attach great importance to developing Sino-African relations and strengthening South-Southcooperation. During his stay in Africa， Li vowed to activelypromote China-Africa cooperation in six areas，namely industrial cooperation， financial cooperation，cooperation on poverty reduction， cooperation onenvironmental protection， cultural and people-topeopleexchanges， and cooperation on peace and security.

　　He also put forward both detailed and generalplans for cooperation in each of the six areas. Hisproposal can be regarded as the “upgraded version”of all-around Sino-African cooperation.

　　Justice and profit

　　Correct handling of the relationship between justiceand profit is an important guideline laid down by China’snew leadership in its engagement with Africa. In March2013 when President Xi visited Africa， he used fourphrases to summarize China’s attitude toward China-Africa relations： “remaining faithful， valuing real results，cultivating kinship-like quality and being sincere.”

　　In January 2014， Chinese Minister of ForeignAffairs Wang Yi visited Africa， reiterating that the“correct justice-profit outlook is a banner of China’sdiplomacy.” According to Wang， China will neitherembark on the plundering road of colonists nor seekto profit selfishly as done by some other countries.

　　Instead， China hopes to become prosperous togetherwith African countries. During the process， Chinawill give more consideration for the needs of Africancountries that can then profit more through cooperation.

　　The Tanzania-Zambia Railway， built with Chineseassistance in the 1970s， is an exemplary model ofthe correct justice-profit outlook. The AU ConferenceCenter， also built with Chinese assistance， is anotherexample.

　　In his visit to Africa， Li illustrated the justice-profitoutlook in his “upgraded version” of Sino-African relations.Speaking at the AU Headquarters， he pledgedthat more than a half of China’s foreign aid will go toAfrica. China has decided to increase its lending toAfrican countries by $10 billion， reaching a total of$30 billion， and will inject another $2 billion into theChina-Africa Development Fund， boosting Chineseinvestment in the fund to $5 billion.

　　In terms of per-capita GDP， China is still a developingcountry. However， thanks to its increasingnational strength， the country now has the ability tobetter plan for the development of Sino-African relationsand contribute to Africa’s development.

　　On his Africa tour， Li set the target of doublingthe bilateral trade volume to top $400 billion andpushing China’s cumulative direct investment inAfrica from $25 billion to $100 billion by 2020. Li alsovowed to help Africa construct three major networksof high-speed railway， expressway and regional aviationso as to help Africa realize the connection of allthe African capitals with railways， thus promotingAfrican integration. Undoubtedly， all these projectsare sorely needed by African countries and whencompleted will change the face of the continent.These investments all indicate China’s justice-profitoutlook in contributing to African development.

　　More responsibility

　　While addressing the World Economic Forum on Africain Nigeria， Li noted that China and Africa have a com-bined population of more than 2.3billion， and strengthening mutuallybeneficial cooperation can helpimprove the well-being of peoplesfrom both sides and promote balancedworld economic development.

　　This cooperation itself is theworld’s greatest inclusive growthmodel. Through opening up andmutually beneficial cooperation，China and Africa can makejoint progress in development，benefiting the economic growthand livelihoods of one third ofthe world’s population. This cangreatly promote balanced worldeconomic development and theoverall progress of humanity. Italso shows China is willing to takeon its responsibilities.

　　As a developing economy， itis necessary for China to shoulder responsibilitieswhile contributing to the whole world， includingAfrica. With diversification of players participatingin Sino-African cooperation over the past decade，problems and challenges emerged in their bilateraland multilateral relations together with achievements.Li calls it “growing pains.”

　　While visiting Angola， home to 260，000 Chinese，accounting for nearly a quarter of the Chinese inAfrica， Li took time to meet with representatives ofChinese state-owned and private enterprises and aChinese chamber of commerce operating in Angola.

　　While stressing that the Chinese Government attachesimportance to the protection of rights andinterests of overseas Chinese and consular protection，Li required these enterprises to strictly abideby local laws and regulations and take correspondingresponsibilities in project quality， product quality，consumers and local society and environment.

　　In Kenya， Li and Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyattavisited the Ivory Burning Site Monument inNairobi National Park， showing the Chinese Government’sstrong determination of joining hands withAfrican countries in fighting against illegal poachingand ivory smuggling and its sincerity of strengtheningcooperation in wildlife protection. He pledged$10 million in supporting wildlife conservation，protecting biodiversity and promoting sustainabledevelopment in Africa. Li also gave his support tothe localization of Chinese enterprises and urgedthem to provide more job opportunities to Africans.Much of China’s foreign aid will go to Africa withfocuses on poverty alleviation， health care and disasterprevention.

　　Joint development

　　During the more than 30 years after China’s reformand opening up， the Chinese people have struggledto realize their Chinese dream of national renewal；African countries and peoples are making unremittingefforts to seek their African dream of povertyalleviation and development. The common history，common development missions and commondream of rejuvenation have bound China and Africatogether， becoming a community of shared destinies.

　　This year also marks the 50th anniversary oflate Premier Zhou Enlai’s Africa tour. In the pasthalf century， Sino-African relations have conqueredvarious difficulties and maintained continuousdevelopment. China has been Africa’s largesttrading partner for five successive years， and Africais now China’s third largest overseas investmentmarket and the second largest overseas projectcontracting market.

　　In addition， people-to-people contact betweenChina and African countries has also increasedrapidly. By the end of last year， China had trained54，000 various skilled professionals for Africancountries and dispatched more than 360，000technicians， young volunteers and agriculturalexperts to Africa. Statistics show that the numberof African people studying and working in Chinagrew rapidly in recent years. In Guangzhou City，south China’s Guangdong Province， there are approximately200，000 African people.

　　The major reason that Sino-African relationscan forge ahead continuously is that both Chinaand Africa regard each other as their opportunityfor development as well as a support for foreignstrategy. China needs Africa and vice versa.

　　China’s growth is not a threat to Africa， but animportant development opportunity. In China，investing in Africa has become a trend； in Africa，many people believe that it is necessary for Africato strengthen economic and trade relations withemerging countries like China.

　　While answering a question from an Africanjournalist before visiting Africa， Li quoted anAfrican proverb to illustrate the importance ofSino-African cooperation， “If you want to go quickly，go alone. If you want to go far， go together.” Itis true that only through sharing destinies， takingresponsibilities and being sincere can China andAfrica maintain their stable and long-lasting relations.

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