Full Text: China's second Africa policy paper (1)

The Chinese government on Friday released its second Africa policy paper as Chinese President Xi Jinping and African leaders gathered here for the second summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation.

The full text of the policy paper is as follows:

The Chinese Government published its first Africa policy paper in 2006. Over the past decade, the policy has been carried out fully and effectively, playing an important guiding role in the all-round development of China-Africa relations. This year marks the 15th anniversary of the establishment of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). The Second FOCAC Summit will be held in South Africa in December. As the first China-Africa summit to be hosted on the African continent, it will be a landmark event conducive to strengthening China-Africa unity and spearheading China-Africa cooperation.

Against this backdrop, the Chinese government wishes, with release of its second Africa policy paper, to further clarify China's determination and goodwill to develop friendly and cooperative relations with Africa and expound the new vision, approach and measures of China's Africa policy under the new circumstances with the aim of guiding the multi-faceted exchanges and cooperation between China and Africa in the years to come.

Part I. Establishing and Developing Comprehensive Strategic and Cooperative China-Africa Partnership and Consolidating and Bolstering the Community of Shared Future between China and Africa

China and Africa have always belonged to a community of shared future. Over the past five decades and more, they have always been good friends who stand together through thick and thin, good partners who share weal and woe, and good brothers who fully trust each other despite changes in the international landscape. The traditional friendship between China and Africa is deeply rooted in people's minds and has become an invaluable asset for both. China and Africa have long valued sincerity, friendship and equality, which constitute the underlying rationale for China-Africa relations to grow stronger with time. Based on this tradition, China and Africa will be committed to mutually beneficial cooperation and common development under the new circumstances, adding new substance and injecting inexhaustible impetus to China-Africa relations.

In 2006, the Chinese government proposed a new type of China-Africa strategic partnership featuring political equality and mutual trust, economic win-win cooperation and cultural exchange. In the past decade, China and Africa jointly formulated and implemented a series of major measures to deepen cooperation, which greatly promoted the rapid development of their friendly and cooperative ties across the board. Political mutual trust between China and Africa has been strengthened. Their coordination and cooperation in international and regional affairs have become closer. Their pragmatic cooperation has borne abundant fruit. China has been Africa's largest trading partner since 2009. In 2014, China's trade volume with Africa rose to four times that of 2006. People-to-people and cultural exchanges have flourished with nearly 3 million visits made between China and Africa every year, garnering greater social and popular support for China-Africa friendship. The scope and depth of China-Africa exchanges and cooperation has been unprecedented. China's contribution to Africa's economic growth has significantly increased.

Tremendous changes have taken place in China and Africa in the past decade, with both shouldering new development tasks. China is striving to achieve the "two centenary goals" and realize the Chinese dream of great national renewal in accordance with the strategy of completing the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects, comprehensively deepening reform, advancing law-based governance and applying strict party discipline. Africa is committed to accelerating its industrialization and modernization and forging ahead to fulfill the dreams outlined in Agenda 2063. Both the Chinese dream and the African dream aim to enable people to live a more prosperous and happier life.

The development strategies of China and Africa are highly compatible. Given their respective strengths, China and Africa need each other for cooperation and development. Rare historic opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation and common development have emerged. China's comparative advantages in development experience, applied technology, funds and market can help Africa overcome the two major bottlenecks constraining its development -- backward infrastructure and inadequate professional and skilled personnel. They can also help Africa translate its natural and human resources advantages and potential into a driving force for development and benefits for people's livelihoods, thereby speeding up industrialization and agricultural modernization, and doing a better job in pursuing economic independence as well as self-reliant and sustainable development and achieving lasting peace and stability.

The international situation has undergone dramatic changes over the past decade. The transition to a multi-polar world has gained momentum. The rapid development of emerging markets and developing countries has become an irresistible trend in history, making them a pivotal force for safeguarding world peace and promoting common development. The UN has adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, mandating the realization of inclusive and sustainable development in all countries. Africa has become one of the continents with the fastest economic growth and greatest development potential. It is an important player on the stage of world politics, a new growth pole for the global economy and a center of human civilization with diverse cultures. China has risen to become the world's second largest economy. It is an active player in the current international system that has helped build it and contributed to it. The current global governance system, however, has yet to fully accommodate the changes. There is a need to increase the representation and voice of developing countries including China and African nations in international affairs. China and Africa should make the most of their advantages in political mutual trust and economic complementarity to push for the all-round development of China-Africa cooperation, strengthen South-South cooperation, promote North-South cooperation, and set a good example for the development of a new model of international relations centered on mutually beneficial cooperation.

China-Africa relations have now reached a new historical starting point. Given their shared development tasks, highly compatible strategic interests, and broad prospects for mutually beneficial cooperation, the Chinese and African people will advance side by side with an ever-growing sense of purpose. China is willing to work with African countries to build and develop a China-Africa comprehensive strategic and cooperative partnership featuring political equality and mutual trust, win-win economic cooperation, mutually enriching cultural exchanges, mutual assistance in security, and solidarity and coordination in international affairs. China is devoted, as are African nations, to promoting an all-round development of China-Africa friendly cooperation, working together to pursue development and fulfill dreams, jointly delivering more benefits to Chinese and African people, and making greater contributions to world peace, stability, development and prosperity. (mo