Portuguese-speaking African nations look eastward

China has been using three very important instruments of foreign policy — forums, partnerships and global initiatives — to deepen relations with countries. The Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, held in Beijing in September, has probably been the most important event of the year diplomatically speaking, as it represented a combination of all these instruments.

Also, China and the African countries agreed to work together to take 10 partnership actions for modernization and to deepen China-Africa cooperation in the next three years, as well as spearhead the modernization of the Global South.

In the 24 years since its establishment, the FOCAC has undergone transformational changes for four reasons because China, unlike other major powers, has advanced bilateral relations with 53 African states; has been consistently offering to African countries a comprehensive development program of action based on fairness, justice, openness, inclusiveness, win-win cooperation, inclusiveness, and people-first and eco-friendly principles; was the first to offer African states a global vision; and is the first global power to deal with African states as partners, not less- or least-developed countries.