2015’s Top 10 Events in Sino-African Ties

　　Chinese Foreign Minister Paying First-of-the-Year Visit to Africa

　　From January 8 to 16， Wang Yi visited Kenya， Sudan， Cameroon， Equatorial Guinea and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Wang’s trip continued the tradition in the past 25 years of Chinese foreign ministers beginning their first overseas visit of the year to Africa. In Sudan， Wang also participated in the special consultation in support of IGAD-led South Sudan peace process， putting forward China’s initiative. This demonstrated China’s efforts to promote the peace process in South Sudan.

　　The Third Africa-China Young Leaders’ Forum Convened

　　The Third Africa-China Young Leaders’ Forum， co-sponsored by the Communist Party of China and Tanzania’s ruling party Chama Cha Mapinduzi， was held in Arusha， Tanzania， from March 28 to 30. Hundreds of young representatives and entrepreneurs from China and 38 African countries discussed the future development of Sino-African relations. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete， President of Tanzania， Robert Mugabe， President of Zimbabwe and AU Chairperson， and Wang Jiarui， Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference， attended the opening ceremony.

　　The 60th Anniversary of the Asian-African Conference Celebrated

　　The 60th anniversary of the Asian-African Conference， also known as the Bandung Conference， was celebrated with a series of programs in Indonesia’s Jakarta and Bandung from April 19 to 24. They included a meeting of high-level officials， a ministerial meeting， a leaders’ summit， an Asian-African business summit and a carnival. The climax of the commemorations was the highly symbolic stroll taken by Asian and African leaders as a tribute to the historic Bandung Conference in Bandung on April 24， 1955. Chinese President Xi met with leaders of Egypt， Ethiopia， Ghana， Liberia and Libya， and discussed how to consolidate Asian-African solidarity and promote bi-continental cooperation.

　　Terrorist Attack in Mogadishu Causing Chinese Casualties

　　A car bomb attack on the Jazeera Palace hotel in Somali capital Mogadishu on July 26 killed a large number of people. The Chinese embassy in Somalia was located in the hotel. An embassy security guard was killed and three other staff members were injured. The Somalia-based militant group Al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attack. China had evacuated its embassy in Somalia in January 1991 due to the Somali civil war， reopening it after 23 years on October 12， 2014. The reopening of the embassy shows China’s support for the peace process in Somalia and the importance it attaches to China-Somalia relations.

　　China Giving Support to Nations Worst Hit by Ebola

　　China offered 750 million yuan ($116 million) worth of emergency humanitarian aid to west Africa--Sierra Leone， Liberia and Guinea--and sent 1，000 medical personnel to the areas affected by the disease. The first group of Ebola patients cured by the Chinese medical aid team to Sierra Leone checked out of hospital in April， 2015. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited the three nations in August 2015， making him the first foreign minister from outside the region to visit West Africa’s epidemic area.

　　African Representatives Participating in China’s V-Day Parade

　　On September 3， China held commemorative activities at Tiananmen Square in Beijing to mark the 70th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. Presidents and government representatives from Algeria， Libya and Tunisia and leaders from Egypt， South Africa， Sudan， the Democratic Republic of the Congo， Ethiopia and other African countries attended the event. Egyptian troops took part in the military parade as well. It showed African countries’ respect for history， desire for peace， as well as their recognition of China’s contribution in the World Anti-Fascist War.

　　China’s Light Rail Project in Ethiopia

　　On September 20， Ethiopia inaugurated a light rail project in Addis Ababa， the capital city， constructed by the China Railway Group and operated by the Chinese Shenzhen Metro Group. It marked the opening of the south-north line of the city’s light rail system， making Ethiopia the first African country with modern light rail transportation. The project， made under Chinese standards， cost more than $475 million. It is China’s first light rail project in Africa encompassing the entire industrial chain. The light rail has enhanced the image of Addis Ababa and improved local people’s lives. It has become a new Chinese-constructed landmark after the AU headquarters in the city and another milestone in China-Ethiopia friendship.

　　The Second Ministerial Forum of China-Africa Health Development

　　From October 4 to 6， the Second Ministerial Forum of China-Africa Health Development was held in Cape Town， South Africa. Its theme was Promoting the Availability of Healthcare Service in Africa， Improving China-Africa’s Cooperation in Public Health in Post-Ebola Era. There were more than 200 participants， including the health ministers of China and over 40 African countries， as well as representatives from the AU and international organizations such as the World Health Organization and UNAIDS. The meeting adopted the Cape Town Declaration and its implementation framework to promote China-Africa collaboration in public health. It developed a roadmap for China and African countries to work together to address the key health problems affecting the African continent.

　　Chinese Killed in Terrorists Attacks in Mali

　　On November 21， terrorists attacked the Radisson Blu Hotel in Bamako， Mali. Twenty-seven people were killed. Three senior executives of the China Railway Construction Corp. were among the victims. The African militant group Al-Murabitoun claimed responsibility for the attack. The group， linked to al-Qaeda， is active in north Mali. China strongly condemned the atrocity. The Chinese Government vowed to continue to work with the international community to strengthen cooperation to protect overseas Chinese citizens and institutions and their rights and interests.

　　Chinese President Xi Attending the FOCAC Johannesburg Summit

　　From December 1 to 6， Chinese President Xi visited Zimbabwe and South Africa， and co-hosted the Johannesburg Summit of FOCAC with his South African counterpart， President Jacob Zuma. It was Xi’s second visit to Africa after being sworn in as Chinese president in 2013. The Johannesburg Summit is the second summit since the inception of FOCAC in 2000 and the first held in Africa. The gathering saw the agreement to upgrade the new type of China-Africa relationship into a comprehensive strategic and cooperative partnership. China pledged to provide $60 billion to support 10 major plans for Africa’s development.

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