Charge d'affaires ZHOU Yuxiao meets journalists from Reuters, BBC,major South African media and Chinese Media on FOCAC Beijing Summit
2006/11/03
The upcoming Beijing Summit and the Third Ministerial Meeting of Forum on China –Africa Cooperation will become a milestone in China-Africa relations, says Mr. ZHOU Yuxiao, charge d'Affaires a.i. of the People's Republic of China to the Republic of South Africa.
Mr. ZHOU meets journalists from Reuters, BBC, major South African media and Chinese media on the FOCAC Summit on Oct 31, 2006.
The Beijing Summit and the Third Ministerial Conference of FOCAC will be held from November 3 to 5. The Summit will be the highest-level, largest-scale meeting ever between China and African Leaders. Both China and Africa attach great importance to the co-sponsored Beijing Summit. The two sides have, through consultation, set the theme of the Summit as "friendship, peace, cooperation and development." Centering on this theme, Chinese and African leaders at the Summit will review friendly cooperation between China and Africa over the past five decades and the achievements of FOCAC over the past six years as well as plan for future pragmatic cooperation. They will also exchange views on some major international issues and explore the way to boost a new type of China-Africa strategic partnership featuring political equality and mutual trust, economic win-win cooperation and culture exchange and mutual emulation, says the Charge d'Affaires.
According to ZHOU, the FOCAC was launched in 2000 to carry out pragmatic cooperation in the interests of both China and African countries, and in conformity with the world trend towards peace and development. FOCAC has become an effective platform for collective dialogue between China and Africa and a cooperation mechanism between the developing countries. In the past six years, China-Africa trade volume has increased from US$10.6 billion to US$39.8 Billion. Under the framework of FOCAC, China has cancelled more than 10.5 billion Yuan (US$ 1.3 billion) of debt for 31 African Countries and imposed zero tariffs on 29 least developed countries covering 190 commodities. China has also trained about 14, 600 personnel for Africa and chosen 17 African countries as destinations for outbound Chinese tourist.
China is the largest developing country and Africa is home to the largest number of developing countries. To consolidate and expand its friendship and cooperation with Africa is a long-term strategy pursued by China and the relationship with Africa is always a cornerstone of China's Foreign Policy. China sincerely hopes to see Africa develop and grow stronger. Guided by the principle of sincerity, friendship, equality, mutual benefit and common development, China is committed to building a new type of strategic partnership with Africa. China will enhance political equality and mutual trust, promote win-win economic cooperation, enhance people-to-people and cultural exchanges, and maintain close cooperation in international affairs with Africa. The FOCAC Beijing Summit will surely become a milestone in China-Africa relations, comments ZHOU with confidence.
