The Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) adopted a declaration in Beijing on
Sunday, proclaiming the establishment of a new type of strategic
partnership between China and Africa.
The declaration was read out by Chinese President Hu Jintao, Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles
Zenawi and Egyptian President Mohammed Hosni Mubarak following the
two-day grand gathering. After the reading-out ceremony, the
leaders took group photos at the Great Hall of the
People.
The strategic partnership features "political equality and
mutual trust, economic win-win cooperation and cultural exchanges,"
said the declaration, which was adopted by leaders of China and 48
African countries attending the summit.
"We hold that the world today is undergoing complex and profound
changes, and that the pursuit of peace, development and cooperation
has become the trend of the times," said Chinese President Hu,
reading out the declaration.
"We declare that the development of our friendly relations and
cooperation are in accordance with the Five Principles of Peaceful
Coexistence as well as all the international principles that
promote multilateralism and democracy in international relations,"
Hu said.
The declaration called for enhancing South-South cooperation and
North-South dialogue to promote balanced, coordinated and
sustainable development of the global economy to enable all
countries to share its benefits and realize common development and
prosperity.
On the UN reform, the declaration said that the United Nations
should strengthen its role through the reform and priority should
be given to increasing the representation and full participation of
African countries in the UN Security Council and other UN
agencies.
The declaration also said China reaffirms its support for the
African countries in their efforts to strengthen themselves through
unity and independently resolve African problems, supports the
African regional and sub-regional organizations in their efforts to
promote economic integration, and supports the African countries in
implementing the "New Partnership for Africa's Development"
programs.
The declaration also urged developed nations to increase
assistance to African countries.
"We urge the developed countries to increase official
development assistance and honor their commitments to opening
market and debt relief," said Meles, while reading out the
declaration.
The declaration urged the developed nations to provide more
financial and technical assistance to enhance Africa's capacity in
poverty and disaster reduction and prevention and control of
desertification, and help Africa realize the UN Millennium
Development Goals.
It also called on the international community to encourage and
support Africa's efforts to pursue peace and development.
The African countries attending the high-profile Beijing Summit
also reiterated in the declaration that they are firmly committed
to the one-China policy.
"They (the African countries) reiterated that they adhere to the
one-China policy and support China's peaceful reunification," said
a declaration.
"We hold that the adherence of China, the world's largest
developing country, to peaceful development and the commitment of
Africa, a continent with the largest number of developing
countries, to stability, development and renaissance are in
themselves significant contribution to world peace and development,
" the declaration said.
To further promote the China-Africa strategic partnership, the
declaration said China and African countries will take a series of
measures, including enhancing high-level visits and personnel
exchanges, improving international cooperation and promoting
cultural exchanges.
The leaders also agreed to deepen and broaden mutually
beneficial cooperation, encourage and promote two-way trade and
investment and explore new modes of cooperation.
Priority should be given to cooperation in agriculture,
infrastructure, industry, fishing, information technology, public
health and personnel training to draw on each other's strengths for
the benefit of the two peoples, according to the declaration.
The leaders also promised to properly handle issues and
challenges that may arise in the course of cooperation through
friendly consultation in keeping with China-Africa friendship and
the long-term interests of the two sides.
"We hold that the establishment of a new type of strategic
partnership is both the shared desire and independent choice of
China and Africa, serves our common interests, and will help
enhance solidarity, mutual support and assistance and unity of the
developing countries and contribute to durable peace and harmonious
development in the world," said Egyptian President Mubarak, reading
out the declaration. ?
(Xinhua News Agency November 5, 2006)