At the ongoing 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), China and African nations have committed to strengthening their high-quality cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative. The high-level meeting, held on Thursday, was co-chaired by Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang and Kenyan President William Ruto.
Speaking at the summit, Vice Premier Ding emphasized the importance of Africa as a key partner in Belt and Road cooperation. He highlighted the significant outcomes achieved through strategic alignment and practical collaboration, noting that China and Africa are poised to set a benchmark for high-quality Belt and Road projects that deliver tangible benefits to both regions.
Ding outlined a multifaceted approach to enhancing cooperation, including building a multi-dimensional connectivity network and promoting the alignment of rules and standards. He also emphasized the need to strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation across the entire value chain, encompassing infrastructure construction, operations, and services.
The Vice Premier called for the improvement and upgrading of economic and trade cooperation, the expansion of pragmatic partnerships in new fields, and the reinforcement of collaboration in areas such as public health, green transition, and the digital economy. He also stressed the importance of cultural and people-to-people exchanges to foster deeper mutual understanding and cooperation.
African leaders and representatives present at the meeting expressed their enthusiasm for further strengthening strategic synergy with China. They look forward to deepening cooperation across various sectors and advancing the high-quality Belt and Road cooperation to new heights. Approximately 350 representatives from China, African countries, and regional organizations attended the summit.
Reference(s):
China, Africa vow to boost high-quality Belt and Road cooperation
cgtn.com
