On February 6, the Chinese Consulate General in Johannesburg, the Institute for Pan-African Thought and Conversation (IPATC)and the Centre for Africa-China Studies (CACS) of the University of Johannesburg co-hosted the "Lapa Forum: Join Hands to Build a High-level China-Africa Community with a Shared Future ". Consul General Pan Qingjiang attended the forum and delivered a keynote speech. Prof. Zondi, Director of IPATC, Dr. Nyere, Post-doctoral Research Fellow of IPATC, Mr. Ugar of CACS, Ms. Tutu, Project Coordinator of the Africa-China Reporting Project at Witwatersrand University, and other academia, think tanks and media representatives attended the forum.
Consul General Pan comprehensively elaborated on the principles, achievements, and prospects of building a China-Africa community with a shared future, stressing that the recently held Central Conference on Work Relating to Foreign Affairs clearly identified building a community with a shared future for mankind as the noble goal of the major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics for the new era. Over the past decade, building a community with a shared future for mankind has developed from a Chinese initiative to an international consensus, from a promising vision to substantive actions, and from a conceptual proposition to a scientific system. It has served as a gloriousbanner leading the progress of the times. Building of a China-Africa community with a shared future is an important part of the endeavour for a community with a shared future for mankind. The 2018 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation decided to work together to build an even stronger China-Africa community with a shared future, leading China-Africa relations to continuously reach new levels and setting an example for promoting the construction of a community with a shared future for mankind.
Consul General Pan said that in the active joint advancement of the construction of China-Africa community with a shared future with African countries, China upholds the principles of sincerity, real results, amity and good faith andpursuing the greater good and shared interests, and focuses on the goals of "joint responsibility, win-win cooperation, happiness for all, cultural prosperity, common security, and harmony between humanity and nature". Solidarity and cooperation with African countries have always been an important part of China’s foreign policy. While pursuing its own development, China has always provided support and assistance to its African friends to the best of its ability. The Chinese people and the African people have a natural affinity. The root and stem of China-Africa relation lies within the people, and the development of China-Africa relations is more oriented to the people. China will always act in good faith in addressing problems that might occur in their relations. New developments and issues relating to the bilateral relations will be discussed frankly and dealt with in a spirit of mutual respect and win-win cooperation. In terms of the principles of shared interests and the greater good, each is of vital importance, but more emphasis is given to the latter. It is the belief of China that the greatest good in China-Africa relations is to closely combine Africa’s independent and sustainable development with China's own development, and reject the zero-sum game and actions driven by a narrow pursuit of profit. The ultimate goal is to realize win-win cooperation.
Consul General Pan highlighted with detailed facts and figures the fruitful results achieved in the all round China-Africa cooperation in areas of deepening political mutual trust, rapidly expanding economic and trade cooperation, robust people-to-people exchanges, and pragmatic peace and security collaboration. He emphasized that both sides have always been committed to consolidating mutual support. After years of dedicated efforts, the tree of China-Africa cooperation has flourished – it is tall and strong, and cannot be shaken by any force. China-Africa friendship is in its prime. The fruitful results of China-Africa cooperation can be seen across the continent of Africa. It has improved the conditions for economic and social development in Africa and brought tangible benefits to people in both China and Africa.
Consul General Pan pointed out that the world today remains volatile. Profound changes unseen in a century is fast evolving, confronting humanity with unprecedented challenges to peace and development. Standing at a historical crossroads, China and Africa need to further consolidate their partnership, and build a high-level China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era. The two sides will steadfastly reinforce their traditional friendship, promote mutually beneficial cooperation, and safeguard common interests. They will continue to set the pace of cooperation through the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), support the Belt and Road Initiative, bring the China-Africa comprehensive strategic and cooperative partnership to a higher level, and deliver a brighter future together. Pan hopes that the African academia will continue to play an active role, provide advice and suggestions for this year’s Beijing Summit of the FOCAC, and jointly contribute new strength to the building of a high-level China-Africa community with a shared future.
Scholars and representatives from the University of Johannesburg, the University of the Witwatersrand, think tanks and media in their respective speeches, spoke highly of China’s initiatives, plans, and actions that China has contributed to promoting China-Africa cooperation and world peace and development. They expressed that the friendship between Africa and China has a long history and that the China-Africa community with a shared future has a solid foundation. Historically, African countries and China supported each other in their struggles for national liberation and national independence. In the new era, Africa and China have insisted on treating each other as equals and respecting each other, and have carried out fruitful cooperation in light of the international situation and their respective needs. Particularly during the COVID-19 Pandemic, China promptly donated a large amount of anti-epidemic materials to African countries and held the Extraordinary China-Africa Summit on Solidarity Against COVID-19, once again demonstrating the unity, cooperation and mutual assistance between Africa and China.
The participating representatives actively interacted, conducted in-depth discussions, and put forward their views and suggestions on the development of Africa-China relations under new circumstances, including practical cooperation in various fields, as well as ways to further build a community with a shared future between Africa and China.
