While in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, the Chinese Foreign Affairs Minister, Mr. Wang Yi, pledged support to Tanzania, promising that China would help President John Pombe Magufuli fulfill his dream to build an industrial economy during his tenure of leadership.
China’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Mr. Wang Yi (Left), with Tanzania Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation Minister, Dr. Augustine Mahiga in Dar es Salaam (Photo Credit: Khalfan Said).
By TZ Business News Staff and Agencies.
China has pledged to always stand by its “African brothers”, a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China has stated. The statement has been issued at the end of a five-nation tour of Africa by the Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Wang Yi.
“We will always stand together with developing countries, with African brothers, because developing countries are the foundation of China’s diplomacy, and Africa is the core of this foundation,” the statement said.
The Chinese Foreign Minister visited Madagascar, Zambia, Tanzania, Congo Brazaville and Nigeria from January 7 to 12 in what observers described as a two-decade-long diplomatic tradition to make Africa China’s first overseas destination in a year.
At the onset of the tours, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuangsaid “relations with developing countries, including [those] in Africa, is the bedrock of Chinese diplomacy.” Wang set out to discuss implementation of President Xi Jinping’s consensus with African leaders at the 2015 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation which convened in Johannesburg, South Africa with African industrialization as a major topic.
While in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Mr. Wang met Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa and Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation Minister, Dr. Augustine Mahiga. Mr. Wang said China would support President John Pombe Magufuli to fullful the plan to build an industrial economy during his five year tunure of leadership.
Chinese Foreign Affairs Minister. Mr. Wang Yi (Foreground).
A statement issued by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs from Beijing on January 16, 2017 said the visit to the five African countries has conveyed three important messages:
Firstly, China will adhere to the tradition of choosing Africa as the destination of Foreign Minister’s first visit each year. It is not merely a formality, but contains important political connotation, which is no matter how many results does China’s development achieve, we will always stand together with developing countries, with African brothers, because developing countries are the foundation of China’s diplomacy, and Africa is the core of this foundation.
Secondly, China hopes that Africa can restore its confidence, enhance solidarity, help each other and jointly respond to new challenges of different kinds. We have seen that the international political and economic situations are complex and ever-changing, bringing a lot of uncertainties to the peace and development of the African continent.
However, on the other hand, this also creates a new opportunity for Africa’s self-enhancement through unity, and opens up new prospect for the expansion of external cooperation of Africa. Among countries all over the world, China has the firmest friendship and most profound cooperation with Africa. China has the willingness and capacity to contribute to the peace and development of Africa through deepening cooperation with Africa.
Thirdly, China is willing to explore the new idea of the upgrade and transformation of China-Africa cooperation together with African countries. After all these years, we can keenly feel that China-Africa cooperation has been quickly transforming from the traditional government-aid-oriented model to the model of enterprise investment and financing.
This is a positive change, indicating that China-Africa cooperation is upgrading and transforming, which can help African countries to improve their capacity of independent and sustainable development. We are ready to work with African countries to keep pace with the times and blaze new trails in a pioneering spirit, so as to constantly elevate China-Africa cooperation to a new and higher level.
Wang Yi said that, this visit to Africa has achieved the desired purposes of carrying forward friendship, aligning ideas, restoring confidence and deepening cooperation. We will continue to earnestly follow the cooperation policy towards Africa of “sincerity, real results, affinity and good faith” put forward by President Xi Jinping, well implement the results from the Johannesburg Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, and make feasible plans for preferential fields and priorities of bilateral cooperation based on different conditions and needs of African countries.
In the meantime, in light of the current new situation, we will reinforce strategic communication and coordination with African countries in international and regional affairs, so as to properly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of both China and Africa, and developing countries.
