China firmly supports the African Union (AU) and African countries in solving African issues in the African way, Chinese President Xi Jinping told Moussa Faki Mahamat, chairperson of the AU Commission after the conclusion of the 2018 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).

During talks with Faki on Wednesday, President Xi said the AU represents the unity and the spirit of self-reliance of Africa. 

China has always backed the organization in playing a leading role in the process of the African integration, as well as a more constructive role in the development of China-Africa ties, Xi added.

He said China is willing to reinforce the strategic coordination with the AU, work together on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), expand the pragmatic cooperation and security collaboration, and improve the capacity building.

Xi also reaffirmed China's backing of the African way in the dealing of African issues by the AU and the African nations, emphasizing that China supports Africa in enhancing the ability to keep peace and stability on its own. 

China also supports the AU to play a bigger role in leading and coordinating trans-national and trans-regional cooperation, Xi said. 

Faki congratulated Xi on the success of the 2018 FOCAC Beijing Summit, saying the eight major initiatives put forward by Xi at the summit are highly in line with the BRI, and will help the AU achieve its Agenda 2063, which is bound to boost peace and development in Africa.

China has won the hearts of the African people, Faki said, stressing the AU is willing to work with China and the African participants of the FOCAC to implement the consensus reached at the Beijing Summit to benefit the African people.

The AU Commission chairperson also pledged to move forward on African integration along with China, opposition to protectionism and unilateralism, and strengthening coordination with China in global and regional affairs. 

(Cover: The African Union Commission Chairman Moussa Faki speaks during a press conference after the Second AU-UN Annual Conference for a wide range of topics on peace, security and development in Africa at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, July 9, 2018. /VCG Photo)