Top political adviser sees huge potential

China's top political adviser has backed Africa to achieve fast development in the foreseeable future, citing its huge development potential.

Yu Zhengsheng, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, also said he believes development on the continent is an important opportunity for his nation's own development.

He was speaking during a meeting with Edward Korbly Doe Adjaho, the Ghanaian parliament speaker, on April 18.

Yu also met with Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama in Accra on April 18.

Better development in Africa and closer China-Africa ties mean the greater possibility for sustained and steady development of China's economy, which in turn would bring more opportunities to Africa, Yu said.

The strengthening of unity and cooperation with Africa is an important cornerstone of China's foreign policy, he said.

China supports African countries in their efforts to transform from resources-dependent development to the upstream of industrial chains, push ahead agricultural modernization, balance resources development and environmental protection, and strengthen infrastructure construction, he said.

On relations between China and Ghana, Yu called on the two sides to enhance mutual trust, increase exchanges between political parties, governments and legislatures, and strengthen cooperation in international affairs.

He also called for the expansion of bilateral cooperation in infrastructure, oil and natural gas, electricity, aviation, shipbuilding, agriculture and fisheries, and human resources.

The two sides can combine Chinese technology and Ghanaian capital to promote production capacity cooperation and equipment manufacturing, he said. He also called for more people-to-people exchanges and cooperation in education, culture, public health and sports.

He added that the CPPCC is ready to increase exchanges with the Ghanaian parliament in a bid to promote China-Ghana relations, he said.

Adjaho said that the friendly relations between Ghana and China have deepened over the years and their pragmatic cooperation has seen tremendous achievements.

Ghana admires China's development achievements and is willing to draw on its experiences, he said.

Ghana is willing to strengthen pragmatic cooperation with China, enhance people-to-people exchanges and advance the Ghana-China relations to benefit the peoples of the two countries, he added.

(China Daily Africa Weekly 04/22/2016 page14)