Wang Yi wraps up Africa visit, reaffirms strong China-Africa ties

China and several African nations have reiterated their commitment to advancing mutually beneficial cooperation and working together to build an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era, as China's top diplomat, Wang Yi, wrapped up a six-day visit to the continent, the traditional first destination of the New Year for Chinese foreign ministers.

During the trip, which brought Chinese Foreign Minister Wang to Namibia, Republic of the Congo, Chad and Nigeria, leaders of all four countries voiced their firm support for China in defending its sovereignty and territorial integrity and declared their adherence to the one-China principle.

Talking to Chinese media on Friday, Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said this is a full demonstration of the tradition of China and Africa supporting each other, adding China always takes the development of relations with Africa as a top priority of China's overall diplomatic strategy.

"The tradition of making Africa the first overseas destination for China's foreign minister each new year is a hallmark of Chinese diplomacy, which has been upheld consistently for 35 years, setting a unique precedent in international relations," said Wang.

Regardless of changes in the international or regional landscape, China's commitment to Africa remains unwavering, he said. China will always be the most trustworthy friend of its African brothers and sisters, the most reliable partner in their pursuit of development and revitalization, and the strongest supporter of Africa on the international stage, Wang added.

Implementing 10 partnership action plans

China is ready to work with African countries to deliver tangible outcomes from the 10 partnership action plans proposed at the Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) held in Beijing last year, ensuring that both sides can advance faster, more steadily and further on their path toward modernization, Wang said.

Wang said during his visits to the four countries, he had in-depth exchanges with the leaders of the countries regarding the implementation of the FOCAC Beijing Summit outcomes and reached a broad consensus.

President of the Republic of the Congo Denis Sassou Nguesso and other African leaders noted that the 10 partnership action plans comprehensively address every aspect of China-Africa cooperation and tackle Africa's pressing challenges, fully align with Africa's needs and will provide substantial support for the continent's development and revitalization.

New opportunities

Throughout the visits, Wang said it was evident that African countries attach great importance to implementing the summit outcomes and deepening China-Africa cooperation.

The Partnership Action for Mutual Learning among Civilizations ranks first among the 10 partnership action plans, reflecting its profound significance in today's world, Wang said.

Both China and Africa have long histories and rich civilizations, and both are actively committed to national development and revitalization, he said.

Under the strong leadership of the CPC, China has charted a successful development path suited to its national conditions, achieving significant progress in its modernization drive, Wang said, adding that these achievements offer valuable insights and new opportunities for African nations seeking to accelerate their development and revitalization.

China and African countries have decided to strengthen exchanges and mutual learning between their civilizations and share governance experiences, laying a stronger and broader political and social foundation for China-Africa cooperation, Wang said.

(With input from Xinhua)