China's Role in Meeting Africa's Developmental Needs
(Keynote Address by Ambassador Liu Guijin of the People's Republic of China to South Africa at a conference on "China in Africa in the 21st Century: Preparing for the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation" co-organized by the NEPAD Secretariat, the Royal African Society and the South African Institute of International Affairs)
October 16th ,2006
Prof Firmino Mucavele, CEO of NEPAD Secretariat
Rt Hon Lord Holme of Cheltenham, Chairman of RAS
Mr. Moeletsi Mbeki, Deputy Chairman of SAIIA
Mr. Chris Louw, Senior Client Relationship Manager of Standard Chartered
Excellencies,
Distinguished Scholars,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
First of all, I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to the NEPAD Secretariat, the Royal African Society as well as the South African Institute of International Affairs for co-organizing this important conference and according me the opportunity to share some of my experience and understanding on China-Africa relations with you, renowned scholars from not only South Africa and some other African countries, but also western countries. I am told by my colleagues that this conference will serve as a brainstorming session for the discussion of FOCAC of the forthcoming meeting of the NEPAD Implementation Committee later this month, to help Africa get well prepared for the first FOCAC Summit which will be held in Beijing early this November. As a Chinese diplomat, I am more than pleased to give you a brief introduction of China's role in meeting Africa's development needs as well as the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation.
Distinguished scholars,
As you may be well aware of, the year 2006 marks the 50th anniversary of the inauguration of diplomatic relations between China and African countries. This year can also be called as "China's Year of Africa". The Chinese government released its first-ever African Policy white paper in January, committing itself to building a new type of strategic partnership with Africa, which is characterized by political equality and mutual trust, mutually beneficial and win-win economic cooperation, as well as cultural exchange and mutual learning. In April, President Hu Jingtao paid a state visit to Morocco, Nigeria and Kenya. In June, Premier Wen Jiabao visited Egypt, Ghana, Congo, Angola, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda. In early November, the first FOCAC Summit will be held in Beijing.
During the past 50 years, the peoples of China and Africa have forged a profound friendship on the basis of Five-Principles of Peaceful Co-existence, which has withstood the test of time and changes in international environment. With the dedicated efforts of successive Chinese and African leaders, the friendly relations and cooperation between China and Africa has grown from strength to strength and continued to demonstrate vigor and vitality.
In the 1950s and 1960s, though faced with a difficult international environment, China never stopped rendering its firm support and assistance to African people in their struggle against colonialism, apartheid and for national liberation. Since the independence of most African countries, China has been all along playing an active role in the development of this continent.
As a developing country itself, China has been trying its best to provide sincere economic assistance to African countries. From 1956 to 2005, China provided aid for 887 projects in 53 African countries, preferential loans for 74 projects in 31 countries. These projects have covered a broad range of sectors such as agriculture, animal husbandry, fishery, textile, energy, infrastructure, water conservancy and power generation. China also provided humanitarian assistance to Africa such as relief food and materials. In 2005, China made 15 donations to 12 African countries, including those who suffered from the Indian Ocean tsunami. At the beginning of 2006, China donated relief food to Niger, Djibouti and Kenya.
Bilateral trade between China and Africa has surged over the years. The trade volume stood at a mere $ 12 million in the early 1950s, and reached $ 39.8 billion in 2005. Since 2005, China has granted zero tariff treatment to 30 least developed African countries covering 190 commodities. Last year, China imported $ 380 million worth of commodities from those countries. The total direct investment in Africa from China reached $ 1.18 billion by the end of 2005. There are more than 800 Chinese companies in Africa.
Human resources development is also an important area of China-Africa cooperation. Starting from 2000, under the program of African Human Resources Development Fund, China has trained 14,600 African personnel specialized in various fields. In 2005 alone, China invited 4,600 Africans from 50 countries and organizations to take part in 139 workshops held in China. Up to now, China has also offered 18,000 government scholarships to students from 50 African countries. At the moment, 1,100 students from 46 African countries are studying in various universities and colleges in China. Meanwhile, China has sent more than 700 teachers to 33 African countries.
China has also provided medical aid to African countries. From 1963 to 2005, a total of 16,000 Chinese doctors have worked in 47 African states and treated nearly 240 million cases. Large quantities of medicines and medical equipments were delivered gratis and 30 hospitals were built with Chinese assistance.
China has taken part in 12 UN peacekeeping missions in Africa. By the end of May 2006, there are 1295 Chinese peacekeepers working in 7 UN peacekeeping operations in Africa.
China also attaches great importance to its cooperation with AU and NEPAD. China has donated $ 300,000 to AU every year since 2000, and provided a special fund of $ 400,000 in 2005 and 2006 for AU peacekeeping mission in Darfur. The Chinese government has also donated $ 500,000 this year to NEPAD Secretariat to support its nurses and midwives graduate training programs to be launched in Kenya and Tanzania.
Distinguished scholars,
Maintaining and strengthening the friendly relations and cooperation with African countries has consistently been an important component of China's foreign policy.
With a view to further strengthen the Sino-African relations in the 21st century and promote common development and prosperity, China and Africa have collectively launched the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in 2000. Two ministerial meetings have been held respectively in Beijing in 2000 and in Addis Ababa in 2003, and two important documents-the Beijing Declaration and the Addis Ababa Action Plan have been produced.
The follow-up actions of the Forum have brought about many remarkable achievements.
- China fulfilled ahead of schedule its debt exemption commitment to Africa by forgiving a total of 10.5 billion RMB Yuan ($1.3 billion) for 31 African countries.
- China has exempted tariffs of 190 taxable items exported from 30 least developed African countries to China since 2005.
- Totally 17 African countries have become destination for outbound Chinese tourists.
- Under the program of African Human Resources Development Fund, China has trained nearly 10,000 African personnel of various professions in the past three years.
- The first group of Chinese youth volunteers has begun their work in Ethiopia.
- China has staged "Meet in Beijing", a month-long international art festival with African culture as the main theme, "Voyage of Chinese Culture to Africa" and the "China-Africa Youth Festival" in 2004.
The theme for the forthcoming FOCAC Beijing Summit is "Friendship, Peace, Cooperation and Development". China has already set up a high-level preparatory committee for the Summit headed by State Counsellor Mr. Tang Jiaxuan. The preparatory work has been in good progress. Up to now, over 30 African presidents or heads of governments have confirmed their presence for the Summit. As already announced by President Hu Jintao at 2005 UN Assembly, China will implement a series of important new commitments in the next 3 years to support the development of developing countries in the fields of zero-tariff treatment, debt relief, concessional loans, medical treatment and human resources development. Africa stands to become the biggest beneficiary of those commitments at the Summit.
Distinguished scholars,
In the wake of China's rapid economic development and its growing role in the global geopolitical arena, there are increasingly heated debates globally, including the African continent, on whether China presents Africa with "threats or opportunities". Some journalists and scholars mainly from the developed countries even regard "China's new thrust in Africa" as "neo-colonialist". I believe that facts always speak louder than words. China's increasing presence in Africa is a positive force to promote Africa's rejuvenation and development, rather than a negative one.
Firstly, China has always been a peace-loving country in history. When Zheng He, the great Chinese navigator led his fleets to the east coast of Africa in the 15th century, China was by far the biggest world power at that time, enjoying the largest population and 1/3 of the world GDP. But China didn't colonize an inch of African land or trade a single African slave as did by the European colonialists 100 years later. Nowadays China has opted for a path of peaceful development, which is characterized by developing itself while maintaining world peace and promoting world peace with its own development, and thus committed itself to equality, friendship, mutual benefit and win-win cooperation with all countries around the world. China can never be labeled as "neo-colonialist".
Secondly, China is the largest developing country in the world and Africa is the continent with the highest concentration of developing countries. China and Africa share many identical views and concerns on a broad range of important international and regional issues, such as promoting multilateralism, establishing a new international politic and economic order that is fair and just to developing countries. Strengthened consultation and cooperation between China and Africa will not only add to the combined forces of the developing countries, better promote their common interests, but are also conducive to make sure that the developing countries have their due influence in the heavily competitive international arena, and push international relationships to the direction of democratization. As a permanent member of UN Security Council, China will go on attaching great importance to all issues involving African interests which has been taken up by the Security Council, taking into positive consideration of the views and positions of African countries, and continuously supporting the African continent to play a more important role in international affairs.
Thirdly, the economic cooperation between China and Africa is sincere, open, transparent, inclusive and mutual benefit. China's development can build up China's capacity to help Africa by offering more official development assistance and adaptable technology transfer. A sound and booming Chinese economy benefits the global economy at large through trade ties, including Africa. China's increasing demand is driving force behind the super cycle of the roaring primary commodity prices, which has fuelled economic growth of many resources-rich African countries. China's energy cooperation with African countries always goes with investment in infrastructure and community building, such as building of roads, railways, ports, constructing facilities of communication and human resources development, which has greatly enhanced the capacity of African countries to develop by themselves.
Fourthly, China's experience of economic success can serve as a reference for African countries. In the long process of construction and especially after nearly 30 years' reform and opening-up to the outside word, China has found a socialist development path with Chinese characteristics and made remarkable social and economic achievements. Currently, many African countries are making positive efforts in exploring the developmental path in light of their own national circumstances. The condition of China and Africa are quite similar. Some of Chinese technology and equipment are also well-suited for Africa. China's development model offers an alternative to African countries apart from the Economic Structural Adjustment program prescribed by the World Bank and IMF.
Of course, since the trade and economic cooperation between China and Africa is developing so fast, there are inevitably some outstanding issues in our relations. Some textile industries and trade unions in African countries complained that large influx of cheap Chinese textile products, clothes and shoes have caused unemployment and closedown of local factories. China's Direct Investment in Africa is quite limited, and etc. The Chinese side will not turn a blind eye to African countries' concern. Take textile issue for example, the Chinese government has reached agreement with the South African government, to voluntarily impose quotas on its textile exports to South Africa, in order to give breathing space for the local textile industry's recovery. Chinese government will continue to adopt practical measures to encourage Chinese companies to expand their investment in Africa.
To sum up, I am deeply convinced that China's development is an opportunity rather than a challenge for Africa; I am deeply convinced that the forthcoming FOCAC will bound to bring about more tangible cooperation results, and breathe new vitality into the friendly relationship between China and Africa; I am deeply convinced that a long-term and stable relationship of all-round cooperation with African countries will benefit 2.1 billion people in China and Africa in 21st century, and will help to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of the developing countries as a whole.
Thank you for your kind attention.