China, Africa embark on new collaboration path

In his keynote speech at the 2024 summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in Beijing on Sept 5, President Xi Jinping outlined a new blueprint for China-Africa cooperation for the next three years and for jointly advancing modernization.

President Xi's keynote speech had some distinctive features. A "new" positioning of China-Africa relations is one of them. He proposed that China-Africa relations be leveraged to build an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era. The expression reflects the importance China's leadership attaches to China-Africa relations, which have been a distinctive feature since the last century.

Also, the modernization that China and Africa jointly advance will be just and equitable, open and mutually beneficial, people-centric and inclusive, peaceful and secure, and eco-friendly. The new interpretation of China and Africa jointly advancing modernization is closely related to China's Global Development Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative and the Global Security Initiative, which reflects the continuity of China's Africa policy.