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Bandung Spirit even more relevant today: Solomon Islands delegate

Xinhua, April 22, 2015 Adjust font size:

The Bandung Spirit holds even more relevance today as it helps address many issues that are globally in nature, a Solomon Islands delegate said here Wednesday.

Now is an appropriate time to highlight carrying forward the Bandung Spirit, with solidarity, friendship and cooperation at the core, given a need to forge multilateralism, Joseph Ma'ahanua, a foreign affairs official of the Oceanian country, told Xinhua on the sidelines of an Asian-African summit.

The sense of building cooperation between Asia and Africa is of value particularly when dealing with issues that are globally in nature, be they political, economic or social, Ma'ahanua said.

The South-South cooperation is very important, he said, adding that cooperation under the New Asian-African Strategic Partnership offers opportunities and recognizes the possibility that developing countries among themselves are able to work together.

He also highlighted the significance of strengthening cooperation between the two continents, upholding the Bandung Spirit, building world peace and achieving prosperity for all.

While addressing the summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping said that China will provide 100,000 training opportunities for developing nations in Asia and Africa within five years.

Xi also announced that China will grant the least developed countries with which it has diplomatic ties the privilege of free duty on 97 percent of imported products within the year, and will continue to offer assistance to developing countries with no political strings attached.

Citing the training opportunities and zero tariff policy, Ma' ahanua said that Xi "made a lot of positive announcements," which will help a large number of developing countries.

There is clearly more room for Asian-African cooperation in many areas, but for the subsequent action, it should be one step at a time.

"I think Xi's announcement itself is a good start... (It was) made in a way that serves as a platform for more practice to come, " he said.

China is a big global player, and it has a lot to offer, in terms of its ability to assist weaker economies and smaller countries, Ma'ahanua stressed. Endi