Xiplomacy: Building China-Africa community of health for all with dedication and action

TOWARDS COMMUNITY OF HEALTH FOR ALL

Gazing at an iconic twin tower sitting on a once derelict land full of garbage in the southern suburbs of Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, local resident Wakjira Totofa said, "It's really like a dream."

"We never thought we would see such a magnificent building in a short period," said Totofa, a civil servant who lives in the neighborhood of the building hosting the headquarters of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Totofa has witnessed the dramatic change from "nothing to something" on his daily commute. The first phase of this flagship cooperation project was completed in January, another fine testament to China's endeavor to build a China-Africa community of health for all.

In December 2015, China announced 10 major plans, including on public health, to boost cooperation with Africa in the following three years. Three years later, the country reaffirmed its commitment to building an even closer China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era. Both sides have pledged to build "a China-Africa community of health for all."

In 2021, the Chinese president proposed to work closely with African countries to implement nine programs, the first of which is the medical and health program.

"I have been impressed by China's active participation in promoting global health with a shared future. Chinese leadership under President Xi Jinping has focused on pursuing the greater good and shared interests across the world, which has boosted China's efforts in maintaining good cooperation in global health," said Emery Nzirabatinya, a Rwandan international relations expert.