CHINESE President Xi Jinping said yesterday that China stands ready to work with Africa to implement 10 partnership action plans in the next three years to jointly advance modernization.

One-third of the world’s population lives in China and Africa. There will be no global modernization without the modernization of China and Africa, he said in a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in the Chinese capital, Beijing.

The 10 partnership action plans will cover the areas of mutual learning among civilizations, trade prosperity, industrial chain cooperation, connectivity, development cooperation, health, agriculture and livelihood, cultural and people-to-people exchanges, green development, and common security, he said.

The Chinese leader proposed that the overall characterization of China-Africa relations be elevated to an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era. 

He also proposed that bilateral relations between China and all African countries having diplomatic ties with China be elevated to the level of strategic relations.

Thanks to nearly 70 years of tireless efforts from both sides, the China-Africa relationship is now at its best in history, Xi said.  

He said a joint pursuit of modernization by China and Africa will set off a wave of modernization in the Global South and open a new chapter for building a community with a shared future for humanity.

Xi stressed jointly advancing modernization that is just and equitable, is open and win-win, puts the people first, features diversity and inclusiveness, is eco-friendly, and is underpinned by peace and security. 

Prior to the FOCAC opening ceremony, the Chinese president and foreign leaders gathered for group photos at the Great Hall of the People.                                       

                                                Xinhua