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OPINION> EDITORIALS
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Building on success
(China Daily)
Updated: 2009-11-09 07:39 The consensus reached on a wide range of issues at the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) summit over the weekend in Egypt once again proves that China-Africa strategic cooperation is an effective South-South mechanism that is conducive to global peace and development. Reviewing the positives notched up so far, the Sharm El Sheikh summit has elevated China-Africa relations to a new high with additional measures promised to facilitate cooperation in more sectors.
The refreshing cooperation between China and Africa, the largest developing country and the continent that is home to the largest number of developing nations, is a mutually beneficial mechanism.
China has the finance and expertise which can help Africa tap its full potential, which is a model that Africa prefers rather than one-way aid. Chinese engagement in the continent, mostly in the infrastructure and technology sectors, is pivotal to the continent's industrialization and revival through pacing up transfer of technical know-how and facilitating the training of African professionals. Meanwhile, Chinese companies have seen vast business opportunities that African countries provide, with the collaboration mechanism based on mutual respect and understanding. China does not attach conditions in cooperation. It has never imposed its mode of economic development on African soil and always keeps its hands off African countries' internal affairs while respecting their choice of development approaches. The China-Africa strategic partnership, in the form of FOCAC set up 9 years ago, has focused on action rather than empty rhetoric. For instance, the target set at the 2006 Beijing Summit of China-Africa Cooperation Forum to push trade volume to $100 billion by 2010 was met two years ahead of schedule. Economic trade zones continue to be built in African countries. To help African countries cope with the impact of the global financial crisis, China's favorable tariff policy toward African imports cover 500 product categories, under which $890 million worth of goods have been imported. Apart from the marked improvement in the local economy, the cooperation has also generated social development in Africa and a stronger friendship. One of the best illustrations is that new mothers who managed to keep their children safe against malaria have chosen to name their offspring after the medicines provided by Chinese pharmaceutical makers. In another example, more than 13,300 people have been imparted technical skills under the 2006 scheme, pushing along Africa's self-driven development. China-Africa cooperation has a glorious past with African countries helping China secure a UN seat and is bound to have a brighter future through such sincere and win-win cooperation. Experience demonstrates that unity between China and Africa and their joint actions on the world stage help boost the influence of the developing world as a whole. Their common prosperity is, in turn, conducive to bringing about a more just political and economic world order. (China Daily 11/09/2009 page4) |
