Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan arrive in Republic of the Congo (LAN HONGGUANG)

The China/Africa dream

Zhu bases this judgment on his observation of Xi's visit to Africa. While the president was in Africa, he vowed on several occasions that China would help African countries train more professionals in various sectors, strengthen the sharing of technology and experience, improve people-to-people exchanges and increase aid to Africa.

"In recent years, China has launched more aid projects to improve people's livelihoods in Africa, such as increasing employment opportunities for local people and improving their well-being. This can help African countries build up their capacity to develop sustainably," said Dong Manyuan, Deputy Director of the China Institute of International Studies.

On March 30, while in the Republic of the Congo, the third leg of his Africa trip, Xi attended the completion ceremony of the China-Congo Friendship Hospital. Located in Brazzaville, the country's capital, the hospital is one of 30 facilities in Africa that the Chinese Government committed to help build at the 2006 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation. Xi also visited the Marien Ngouabi University library in the central African country.

One day earlier, Peng Liyuan, Xi's wife, who is a WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS, visited Brazzaville's Bethania orphanage for children affected by HIV.

"The Chinese people are currently committed to realizing the Chinese dream of the great renewal of the Chinese nation, while African people are striving for the African dream of self-development through unity and growth," said Xi on March 25. "People in China and Africa should strengthen their unity and cooperation, and support and help each other to make their respective dreams come true."

Xi's remarks were echoed by Martin Nguru, a lecturer at the University of Nairobi's Institute of Diplomacy and International Studies. He said that China and Africa, as Xi put it, have been "a community of shared destinies," and that China's participation in African affairs will help African countries realize their "African dream."

"China, as the second largest economy in the world, calls for equality and opposes hegemony. This has greatly encouraged African countries in their efforts to safeguard their sovereignty and independence," Nguru said.  

Main Points of President Xi Jinping's Visit to Three African Countries:

In Tanzania (March 24-25)

» Issued China-Tanzania Joint Communiqué boosting friendly cooperation

» Delivered a speech at the Julius Nyerere International Convention Center in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania describing China's African policy

» Proposed the building of a Chinese culture center in Tanzania

» Pledged to provide a $20 billion credit-line to African nations over the next three years

» Vowed to train 30,000 African professionals in the coming three years

» Proposed offering 18,000 scholarships to African students

In South Africa: (March 25-29)

» Proposed building China-South Africa ties to give an example for the development of a new type of China-Africa strategic partnerships, and for solidarity and cooperation between large developing countries  

» Proposed the building of a Chinese culture center in South Africa

» Issued China-South Africa Joint Communiqué

In the Republic of the Congo (March 29-31)

» Delivered a speech at the Republic of the Congo's Parliament

» Attended the completion ceremony of the China-the Republic of the Congo Friendship Hospital and the opening ceremony of the Marien Ngouabi University Library and its Chinese section

» Announced China-the Republic of the Congo Joint Communiqué

» Signed cooperation agreements in areas such as trade and finance

In BRICS Summit (March 26-27)

» Agreed to establish a new development bank to finance infrastructure and to create a $100 billion contingency reserve to tackle any financial crises in emerging economies.

» Agreed to establish a BRICS Business Council and a BRICS Think Tank

» Signed the Durban Declaration

» Signed financing agreements