Xi's speech blueprint for greater synergy

President Xi Jinping's speech at the summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation reverberated not only in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, but also in the whole of Africa and the world at large.

By not interfering in the internal affairs of African states or attaching conditions for financial assistance, and letting them choose the path of development that best suits their national conditions, Xi has re-affirmed that China is a real "friend in need" for Africa.

Non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries is part of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, which also include mutual respect for each other's territorial integrity, mutual non-aggression, equality and cooperation for mutual benefit, and peaceful coexistence.