ACTION AGENDA HAILED AS THE BEACON FOR CHINA-AFRICA UNITY, COOPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT

On June 17, 2020, the Extraordinary China-Africa Summit on Solidarity Against COVID-19 was successfully held. This is a special gathering between Chinese and African leaders to discuss the joint response to COVID-19 and further China-Africa friendship and cooperation, against the backdrop of the ongoing ravages of COVID-19 and a growing number of infection cases reported in Africa. Chinese President Xi Jinping presided over the summit and delivered a keynote speech, proposing an array of important initiatives and proposals that chart the course for fighting the COVID-19 together, enhancing China-Africa cooperation, upholding multilateralism and taking China-Africa friendship forward and demonstrate China’s responsibility and proactivity as a major country. The summit further expands consensus between China and Africa about pursuing development through greater solidarity and cooperation. The Joint Statement of the Extraordinary China-Africa Summit on Solidarity Against COVID-19 released at the summit will undoubtedly be the action agenda for the development of China-Africa relations under new circumstances.
Pull together to fight the virus for the benefit of health and safety of all. Public health issues are vital to global peace and security and the well-being of people around the world. The global fight against the COVID-19 must give top priority to the public health systems in Africa that are extremely vulnerable to the ravages of this virus. President Xi underscored that “we must stay committed to fighting COVID-19 together”. China and Africa have offered mutual support and fought shoulder to shoulder in their battles against the disease, setting a prime example for international cooperation in epidemic response. The African side speaks highly of Chinese government’s decisive measures to contain the spread of the virus that brought precious time for the rest of the world, and expresses appreciation for China’s substantial assistance for Africa’s fight against COVID-19 and commitment to China-Africa solidarity against COVID-19. China commends the solidarity and support extended by African countries, the African Union (AU) and other regional organizations for China’s COVID-19 response. African brothers offered China valuable support at the height of its battle with coronavirus. In return, when Africa was struck by the virus, China was the first to rush in with assistance, despite its own pressure of prevention at home. China has provided tremendous medical supplies in a timely manner, sent medical expert groups to share diagnosis and treatment know-how without reservation, and facilitated Africa’s procurement of medical supplies in China. African countries highly commend the new measures China announced at the 73rd World Health Assembly (WHA) to support COVID-19 response in developing countries including those on the African continent. At the extraordinary summit, President Xi pledged to accelerate following through on these new measures, stating that China will start ahead of schedule the construction of the Africa CDC headquarters this year, and once the development and deployment of COVID-19 vaccine is completed in China, African countries will be among the first to benefit. China and Africa call for intensified international cooperation, unity, solidarity and joint efforts to contain and mitigate the pandemic and to pay particular attention to the needs of people in vulnerable situations. Additionally, both sides call on the international community to reject misinformation and disinformation, and strengthen cooperation on the research and development of diagnostics, therapeutics, medicines and vaccines and the identification of the zoonotic source of the virus.
Boost China-Africa cooperation in pursuit of common development. Both China and Africa face the formidable task of combating the virus while stabilizing the economy and protecting people’s livelihoods. President Xi highlighted that “we must stay committed to enhancing China-Africa cooperation”. To minimize the fallout and cushion the impact of COVID-19, both sides have agreed to strengthen Belt and Road cooperation, accelerate the follow-ups to the FOCAC Beijing Summit, give priority to cooperation on public health, economic reopening, and improvement of people’s livelihood, and deepen cooperation on trade, interconnectivity and digital economy. China and Africa also commit to enhancing macroeconomic coordination and jointly keeping global industrial and supply chains stable and unclogged. Furthermore, both sides call on the international community to provide more material, technical, financial and humanitarian support to help African countries overcome the impact of COVID-19 and achieve independent and sustainable development, and to support Africa in implementing its “Silencing the Guns” campaign, urge for an early lifting of economic sanctions on Zimbabwe and Sudan, and support Africa in prevailing against the coronavirus at an early date and pursuing faster development. China pledges to support Africa in its efforts to develop the African Continental Free Trade Area and to enhance connectivity and strengthen industrial and supply chains. China will explore broader cooperation with Africa in such new business forms as digital economy, smart city, clean energy, and 5G to boost Africa’s development and revitalization.
Uphold multilateralism in defense of joint mechanisms. Leaders of African countries, including members of the AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government and rotating chairs of major African sub-regional organizations, attended the summit. And the heads of international and regional organizations, like the United Nations (UN), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the AU were also invited to the summit. This proves the conviction and determination of the sides concerned to carry forward multilateralism and defend international equity and justice. President Xi stressed that “we must stay committed to upholding multilateralism”. China and Africa reaffirm their commitment to supporting multilateralism, opposing unilateralism, safeguarding the UN-centered international system, and defending international equity and justice. The two sides commend the UN Secretary-General for his leadership and support for the WHO and support his call for a united response to COVID-19. They also highly commend and actively support WHO’s role, under the stewardship of Director-General Dr. Tedros, in leading and coordinating the global response to COVID-19, reiterate opposition to the politicization and stigmatization of the virus, and call on the international community to jointly prevent discrimination and stigma. China will work with African countries to uphold the UN-centered global governance system and support WHO in making greater contribution to the global COVID-19 response.
Cement friendship and mutual trust for the sake of common interests. The world is undergoing profound changes unseen in a century. Given the new opportunities and challenges we face, closer cooperation between China and Africa is needed, more than ever. President Xi emphasized that “we must stay committed to taking China-Africa friendship forward”. Both sides will remain committed to extending mutual support on issues regarding each other’s core interests and major concerns. China supports African countries in exploring development paths suited to their national conditions and opposes interference in Africa’s internal affairs by external forces. The African side supports China’s position on Taiwan and Hong Kong, and supports China’s efforts to safeguard national security in Hong Kong in accordance with law. Chairperson of the AU Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat once remarked that “in pursuit of comprehensive strategic and cooperative partnership, African countries and China are friends, and more importantly, comrades-in-arms, with their future tied together”. China will work together with African countries to consolidate friendship and mutual trust, support each other on issues involving respective core interests, and advance the fundamental interests of China and Africa and, for that matter, of all developing countries. This way, the China-Africa comprehensive strategic and cooperative partnership will be taken to a greater height.
The Extraordinary China-Africa Summit on Solidarity Against COVID-19 marks a vivid illustration of the commitment to collaboratively building a China-Africa community of health and an even stronger China-Africa community with a shared future. China and Africa have reached a consensus about defeating COVID-19 through greater solidarity and cooperation, jointly safeguarding global public health security, and building a community of health for all and an even closer China-Africa community with a shared future. As noted by President Xi, “at the FOCAC Beijing Summit, we agreed to work together to build an even stronger China-Africa community with a shared future. Today’s Extraordinary China-Africa Summit on Solidarity against COVID-19 is our concrete step to deliver the commitment we made at the Beijing Summit and to do our part in the international cooperation against COVID-19”. Both sides are convinced that through their unremitting efforts, friendship between Chinese and African people and China-Africa comprehensive and strategic partnership will surely be further strengthened in the collective fight against the virus, and China and Africa will blaze a new trail for and contribute to building a community of a shared future for mankind.