Sino-Africa friendship continues to flourish
Could you talk about the details of your visit to Uganda, the Republic of the Congo and Senegal?
During my visit to Uganda, the Republic of the Congo and Senegal, I was received warmly by all three countries and their people. I met with the presidents of the three countries and had talks with the foreign ministers. We reached many common understandings. I conveyed the hearty greetings of President Xi Jinping to leaders of the three countries and extended congratulations on their achievements in national development and rejuvenation. Leaders of the three countries asked me to convey their warm greetings to President Xi Jinping and spoke highly of the People's Republic of China's great achievements in the past seven decades. China and the three countries are pleased with the good momentum in the growth of our relations. We all agree to continue to keep the good momentum of high-level exchanges and deepen ties and cooperation across the board by enhancing Belt and Road cooperation and completing the follow-up actions of the FOCAC Beijing Summit. In this way, we will realize common development through win-win cooperation.
China and Uganda have, building on our traditional friendship, seen ever greater political trust in recent years and more active cooperation across the board. President Yoweri Museveni attended the FOCAC Beijing Summit in China last year. This year he paid a working visit to China and attended the first China-Africa Economic and Trade expo, during which he and President Xi Jinping had fruitful talks. During my visit, I had in-depth exchange of views with the Ugandan leader and the foreign minister on bilateral relations and other issues of mutual interest. The two sides both believe that we should approach bilateral relations from a strategic height and with a long-term perspective. Based on our respective strengths and development needs, we will build synergy between our Belt and Road cooperation and the implementation of the follow-up actions of the FOCAC Beijing Summit with Uganda Vision 2040. We will focus on cooperation in trade, industrial capacity, infrastructure and industrial zones to steadily enrich our comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership and make our mutually beneficial cooperation a pace-setter in China-Africa cooperation.
This year marks the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and the Republic of the Congo. The two countries have a profound traditional friendship. President Denis Sassou Nguesso has already paid three state visits to China at the invitation of President Xi Jinping. During his first trip to Africa in 2013, President Xi visited the Republic of the Congo. During my visit, I had in-depth meetings and talks with leaders of the Republic of the Congo. I expressed China's deep sympathy over the recent serious flooding affecting parts of Congo. Both sides spoke highly of China-Congo relations. We agreed to keep up the momentum of high-level exchanges, enhance friendship and mutual trust, and offer each other firm support on issues concerning the other's core interests and major concerns to demonstrate the strength of our comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership. China is ready to continue doing our utmost to support Congo in its economic and social development. The two sides agreed to work together to actively promote cooperation in finance and aviation, and make our cooperation a model for the transformation and upgrading of China-Africa cooperation.
Senegal is the incumbent African co-chair of FOCAC. Senegal was the first West African country President Xi Jinping visited and the first in West Africa to sign a Belt and Road Cooperation document with China. During my visit, the two sides had in-depth discussions on bilateral ties and other issues of mutual interest. Both sides underscored the need to view our relations from a strategic height and agreed to expand cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative and within the FOCAC framework, and enhance cooperation in areas like infrastructure and development of industrial zones. China supports Senegal in implementing its Plan for an Emerging Senegal and in hosting the 2022 Summer Youth Olympics. We will work to advance the China-Senegal comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership and make our cooperation a paradigm of high-quality and sustainable cooperation. The two countries reaffirmed commitment to their duties as FOCAC co-chairs, and agreed to work together to implement the follow-up actions of the Beijing Summit, advance China-Africa relations, and uphold multilateralism and the common interests of developing countries.
During my visit, I briefed leaders of the three countries on the fourth plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee and the Central Economic Work Conference. The three countries congratulated China on the success of these meetings. They spoke highly of China's achievements in modernizing the system and capacity for governance. They expressed optimism in China's development prospects and firm support to China's pursuit of a development path suited to its national reality. They acknowledged China's contribution to the progress of mankind. They expressed firm support for China's domestic and foreign policy and its development path. They applauded China's resolve and courage to deepen reform and opening-up amidst a global slowdown. They expressed full confidence that China will seize opportunities, rise to challenges and make greater progress in its development, thereby contributing more to peace in the world and progress of Africa.
In general, this visit has helped to implement the important understandings reached between President Xi Jinping and African leaders as well as the follow-ups to the FOCAC Beijing Summit. It has enhanced mutual understanding, friendship and win-win cooperation between China and these countries, and achieved its expected goals.
