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Chinese Ambassador to Botswana reflects on the extraordinary achievements of FOCAC and discusses the prospects of China-Africa cooperation at a webinar marking the 20th anniversary of the establishment of FOCAC
By Li Kaizhi Web Exclusive ·2020-11-05

Zhao Yanbo, Chinese Ambassador to Botswana, speaks at the webinar

FOCAC has grown into an important and dynamic platform for China and Africa to carry out collective dialogues, an effective mechanism for practical cooperation, and a model of upholding multilateralism, achieving mutual benefit and South-South cooperation, said Zhao Yanbo, Chinese Ambassador to Botswana, at a webinar to mark the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) on October 28.

With the theme of 20 Years of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation: Prospects and Perspectives, the webinar was hosted by BEIJING REVIEW, a media outlet under China International Publishing Group (CIPG). Officials and media professionals from China and African countries reviewed the important role of FOCAC in promoting China-Africa cooperation in all fields in the past two decades, and offered suggestions on the future development of China-Africa cooperation.

Twenty-year journey

Zhao recalled the history of FOCAC and said the mechanism has played an active role in promoting China-Africa friendship.

“China is the largest developing country and the African continent is home to the largest number of developing countries. China-Africa friendship was born in the formidable years of national liberation and is deeply rooted in our peoples' heart,” Zhao said.

Twenty years ago, embracing the dawn of the new century and the trend of globalization, China and African countries decided to hold the first ministerial conference of FOCAC to promote win-win cooperation and pursue the goal of common development, which marked the birth of FOCAC, he noted.

“Since then, the family of China and African nations has had its own platform for collective dialogue and mechanism for practical cooperation, ushering in a brand-new chapter in China-Africa relations,” the ambassador added.

He also pointed out that over the past 20 years, FOCAC has bolstered high-level interactions and political trust between China and Africa, delivering a leap in China-Africa relations from “a new type of partnership” to “a comprehensive strategic and cooperative partnership.”

“China and Africa have, under FOCAC, co-hosted three summits and seven ministerial conferences, and reached full consensus on a range of important issues which have been implemented with great achievements,” the ambassador said, adding that as Chinese and African leaders agreed to build an even stronger China-Africa community with a shared future, the 2018 FOCAC Beijing Summit presented a broader prospect for this partnership.

Within the framework of FOCAC, China and African countries have carried out expansive and fruitful cooperation in many areas, he stressed.

“Trade and investment have been growing at a higher speed, with China-Africa trade up by nearly 20 times and Chinese direct investment in Africa up by nearly 100 times. Infrastructure cooperation has become the highlight. A host of projects such as railways, roads, ports, power stations, hospitals, schools, stadiums and conference centers have not only changed the outlook of Africa but also empowered the people on this continent,” he said.

He spoke highly of the achievement in the field of people-to-people exchanges.

He introduced that China has provided about 120,000 government scholarships and tens of thousands of training opportunities to African students, officials, scholars and skill workers. China has also dispatched a total of 21,000 medical workers to Africa, who have so far treated 200 million patients.

“In the fight against Ebola and COVID-19, China and Africa have offered mutual support to each other and fought shoulder to shoulder, which reflects the true and deep friendship between us in trying times,” he said.

Precious and promising

The ambassador said that China and Botswana enjoy longstanding friendship, and their bilateral relations have benefited greatly from FOCAC.

“Since Botswana’s President Mokgweetsi Masisi paid a state visit to China in 2018 and attended the FOCAC Beijing Summit, China-Botswana relations have ushered in a new era,” he said.

Guided by the Eight Major Initiatives proposed at the Beijing Summit, China and Botswana have signed agreements and MOUs in such areas as mutual visa exemption; economic, trade, investment and technical cooperation; as well as human resources development, he added.

For example, he said, China-aided projects such as Mmopane Primary School and Kazungula Primary School are in smooth progress. And Botswana beef exports to China are just around the corner.

He also introduced the joint efforts between China and Botswana in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. “With batches of medical supplies provided to Botswana and the arrival of the 16th Chinese Medical Team, China has supported Botswana’s COVID-19 response with concrete actions, which has been applauded by Botswanan friends from all walks of life,” he said.

In the end of his speech, the ambassador called on China and African countries to stay united and work more closely together in the face of profound changes in the international situation.

“I am convinced that with our joint efforts, FOCAC is sure to deliver more for the 2.6 billion Chinese and African people in the course of building an even stronger China-Africa community with a shared future,” he said.

Comments to likzh@chinafrica.cn

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