Cooperation between China and Africa will remain a partnership of equals, China says, as it pledges full implementation of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Beijing Summit outcomes before the next ministerial meeting.
The People’s Republic of China has reaffirmed its commitment to the full implementation of the outcomes of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Beijing Summit, assuring African countries that all agreed projects will be delivered before the next ministerial meeting.
China also emphasised that cooperation with Africa is founded on equality, mutual respect and shared responsibility rather than a donor-recipient relationship.
The assurance was given on Monday in Beijing by Mr. Shuai Guipeng, Deputy Director of the FOCAC Office at China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, during an interview with journalists.
Guipeng said China remains committed to honouring every agreement reached with African countries, stressing that Africa is an equal partner in the cooperation framework.
“China and Africa will be treated on an equal footing. Africa will not just be a recipient of the cooperation,” he said.
According to him, implementation of the Beijing Summit outcomes is progressing steadily, with China and African countries jointly advancing projects agreed under the FOCAC framework.
He noted that China-Africa cooperation has expanded beyond infrastructure construction to include the joint operation and long-term management of completed projects to ensure sustainability.
As an example, Guipeng cited the Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway in Kenya, explaining that Chinese partners established a joint operating company with Kenyan stakeholders after completing the railway to ensure its efficient management and long-term benefits.
“This is a vivid example showing that Africa is not just a one-way recipient of our cooperation,” he added.
Addressing concerns about implementation, Guipeng said the challenge lies not in political commitment but in the large number of projects scheduled for execution within a limited timeframe.
“The implementation of FOCAC is smooth itself. The challenge is that we don’t have enough time and there are too many things we want to do,” he said.
Despite the workload, he expressed confidence that all commitments made during the Beijing Summit would be fulfilled before the next FOCAC ministerial meeting.
Guipeng also revealed that implementing FOCAC commitments has been incorporated into the Communist Party of China’s internal performance assessment, with officials required to ensure that agreed projects are delivered.
“The implementation of the FOCAC Summit is an important aspect of our work. The higher level of the party committee will supervise the implementation.
“As long as we make a commitment and reach an agreement with African countries, it will be implemented,” he stated.
Responding to questions about Africa’s role in the partnership, Guipeng reiterated that China considers African countries active partners in development cooperation rather than aid beneficiaries.
He assured African nations of China’s continued commitment to working collaboratively to ensure the successful implementation of all agreed initiatives.
“Our friends from the media can rest assured that the implementation of the FOCAC Summit will be completed smoothly and successfully,” he said.
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