On January 12, the Chinese Government issued the first China’s African Policy paper, in which it lays out plans for promoting China-Africa relations. In order to get a full picture of the background and significance of this
　　document, Beijing Review spoke with Huang Zequan, Executive Vice Chairman of the China Society for Research on African Issues.
　　Beijing Review: Could you describe the background to the issuance of the China’s African Policy paper?
　　Huang Zequan: China is the biggest developing country in the world and Africa is the continent with the most developing countries. This basic attribute defines relations between China and Africa, which are cooperative on economic issues and mutually dependent in political affairs.
　　Despite the geographical distance between China and Africa, friendly communications between Chinese and African people are longstanding. Moreover, China and African nations have never had any conflicts over territory or religion. The Chinese people and African people share happiness and woe, and have developed a friendship in the common fight against imperialism, colonialism, hegemonism and racism. Chinese leaders have enacted a series of policies and guidelines aimed at consolidating China-Africa relations. Strengthening and developing friendly and cooperative relations with African countries has always been a significant and indispensable part of China’s foreign policy. China’s policy toward Africa is based on long-term common strategic interests and will progress with the times.
　　In the 56 years since the People’s Republic of China was established, political relations between China and African countries have developed soundly with many achievements in economic cooperation and trade. Politically, China has consistently supported the just cause of African countries to safeguard their sovereignty and national interests. Economically, China has offered various forms of aid to African countries without any political conditions and has helped more than 50 African countries to complete more than 800 construction projects that have played an important part in local economic recovery and social development.
　　Of course, the Chinese people will never forget the priceless support of the African people. It was thanks to the considerable support from African countries that China resumed its legal seat in the United Nations in 1971. Furthermore, it was also thanks to African countries’ support that China has defeated 11 anti-China resolutions tabled by Western countries at the annual UN Human Rights Commission meeting since 1990, and consecutively foiled Taiwan’s attempt to enter the UN and the World Health Organization, which group only sovereign countries, since 1993 and 1997, respectively.
　　
　　Currently, of all 53 independent African countries, 47 have established formal diplomatic relations with China. The volume of trade between China and Africa surged to $29.46 billion in 2004 from a mere $12 million in 1951. In 2005, China-Africa trade hit a record high of $39.74 billion, increasing 34.9 percent from 2004, in which China’s exports to Africa were $18.68 billion and imports from Africa totaled $21.06 billion. The two sides are striving to forge a new strategic partnership featuring equality and mutual trust in terms of politics, mutually beneficial economic cooperation and cultural exchanges. We can say that China-Africa relations are at their best level in history.
　　This year marks the 50th anniversary of the beginning of diplomatic ties between China and African countries as China and Egypt announced the establishment of such links on May 30, 1956. At the beginning of this year, the Chinese Government issued the document on China’s policy toward Africa. This initiative indicates that consolidating China-Africa friendship, enhancing all-around cooperation and achieving common development are unswerving guidelines of the Chinese Government.
　　
　　What is the significance of this document?
　　
　　In the past 50 years, despite the profound and complicated changes in the world situation, peace and development remain two major themes of this era. Although China and African countries have all undergone changes, the bases for China-Africa cooperation have never changed, nor has the friendship between China and African countries. The new document recalls the friendly cooperation between the two sides over the past half century, defines the role and status of Africa in the new world order, and sets forth the direction and goal of China’s policy toward Africa. The significance of this document is that it aims to show that the Chinese Government and people attach great importance to Africa, and care for and support the continent. Moreover, the document demonstrates that consolidating and developing friendly China-Africa relations has always been an important part of China’s foreign policy.
　　Safeguarding peace, boosting the economy, shaking off poverty and improving people’s lives have become a new historical trend for Africa. In recent years, with the support and help of the international community, Africa has made a lot of progress in politics, economy and security. The strategic position of Africa in the world is rising and its role in international affairs is increasing. More importantly, after the African Union was founded in July 2002, it has exerted a positive influence on promoting peace, stability, cooperation and development on the African continent and it has developed into a significant force in the international arena. The African Union is actively implementing the New Partnership for African Development initiative and pledges to achieve Africa’s rejuvenation. We are confident about the future of Africa.
　　Under these new circumstances, China and Africa both wish to enhance their traditional friendship, and expand and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation. It is our government’s hope that this document will clarify China’s stance on long-term cooperation with Africa, and provide a blueprint for stable development of relations between the both sides. China and Africa can and should become strategic partners with strong mutual trust, and complement each other with their respective advantages in an effort to develop win-win cooperation and contribute to world prosperity.
　　
　　What is the future of China-Africa relations?
　　
　　Africa has abundant resources, a huge market and the urgent desire to develop its economy; China has 20 years of successful experience in reform and development as well as pragmatic technology and products. As a result, the two sides have mutually complementary advantages and have an enormous potential for cooperation. The half-century friendship between China and Africa demonstrates that enhancing friendly cooperation is a common aspiration. Africa’s progress and China’s development are indispensable to a prosperous world. To continually enhance our friendship and cooperation with African countries not only tallies with the fundamental interests of China and Africa, but is also conducive to world stability, peace and development.
　　To strengthen friendship and cooperation with African countries has always been an important part of China’s foreign policy. In the new century, China and African countries will jointly pursue further development with sincere cooperation, which will be conducive to the social development and progress of Asian and African continents, as well as promoting world harmony and stability. Therefore, to further strengthen and consolidate friendly cooperation between China and Africa is the requirement of the times and is their commitment to the new century.
　　Currently, the international situation continues to change profoundly. The world multipolarization and economic globalization bring both development opportunities as well as tough challenges. In order to further deepen China-Africa cooperation under these new circumstances, the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, jointly proposed and established by the two sides, has become an effective mechanism for China and friendly African countries to hold dialogues and negotiations. In the past five years, within the forum’s framework, China has exempted 10.5 billion yuan of debt owed by 31 heavily indebted countries in Africa, given zero-tariff treatment to some commodities from 28 most underdeveloped African countries and trained about 10,000 African professionals. Sixteen African countries have become approved destinations for Chinese travelers at their own expense. China and Africa also cooperate well and efficiently in terms of culture, finance, energy, environmental protection, education, health and medicine.
　　China insists that the African Union should play a leading role in African affairs, and supports the implementation of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development. The country has sent over 3,000 military and police personnel to take part in 12 UN peacekeeping missions in Africa. Additionally, China has always firmly supported legitimate demands of African countries in the World Trade Organization and the UN. Many African countries firmly support China’s national reunification as well as the formulation of the Anti-Secession Law. Facts show that in the 21st century, the friendly cooperation between China and Africa has entered a new stage of development.
　　The Chinese leadership places great importance on China-Africa relations. Top Chinese leaders, including President Hu Jintao, paid successive visits to Africa. The leaders, proceeding from actual conditions, vigorously promote the expansion of areas and methods for cooperation between the two sides. During his trip to Africa in February 2004, President Hu presented three proposals for the development of China-Africa relations, which are “maintaining traditional friendship and promoting a new China-Africa partnership, adhering to mutual assistance and mutual benefit and promoting common development, and maintaining close collaboration and safeguarding the interests of developing countries.”
　　At the Asian-African Summit in Indonesia in April 2005, President Hu made four proposals for developing a strategic partnership between Asia and Africa in the new era. On the political front, the Chinese president suggested, Asian and African countries should become partners that respect and support each other; on the economic front, Asian and African countries should become partners that complement each other with their respective strengths; on the cultural front, Asian and African countries should become partners that learn from each other and draw on their respective strong points; and on the security front, they should become partners that treat each other equally with mutual trust, and engage in dialogue and coordination. All those proposals have become guidelines for developing China-Africa relations.
　　More significantly, Hu announced five measures, including debt relief and increase of foreign aid, to help the economic growth of developing countries (especially African countries), which were welcomed by African leaders.
　　This fall, Beijing will hold the Third Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, which will be the biggest gathering of leaders from China and Africa since the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949. Dubbed the “Year of Africa” in China, 2006 is sure to exert a positive influence on the development of China-Africa relations.

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