China vows to boost strategic threats cooperation

CHINA has promised to boost cooperation with African countries on strategic threats such as terrorism, piracy and natural disasters, as the continent remains an integral part of the efforts to build a better world for all.

Chinese Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Wang Yi, while speaking to members of the press yesterday on the sidelines of the country’s annual legislative body meetings, vowed that changes in the world will not break China- Africa friendship.

“Nothing will change China’s promise of sincerity, real results, friendship and faith to Africa,” he maintained. Mr Wang added that China will step up mediation in regional flash points, as well as cooperation with African countries to tackle unconventional security threats and assist them build capacity for ensuring peace and security.

He told a fully-packed press conference that Africa faces challenges of maintaining peace and security and promoting development and that China was ready to tackle such challenges for the betterment of both sides. “Africa’s concerns are China’s concerns. Africa’s priorities are China’s priorities,” he said.

The Minister called upon African countries to board its ‘fast train of development’ and work together for a community with a shared future for humanity. He noted that the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation summit to be held in China in September, this year, is set to give wings to China-Africa cooperation and help it hit greater heights.

“Chinese and African leaders will discuss China and Africa cooperation in the new era and focus on jointly advancing Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and turning China and Africa into a community with a shared future,” he affirmed. Mr Wang noted further that BRIA Will be aligned with the United Nations 2030 agenda for sustainable development, the African Union Agenda 2063 and development strategies of individual African countries.

BRI was hatched by the President of China, Mr Xi Jinping in 2013, focusing on infrastructure investment in countries along the old Silk Road, linking it with a network of countries in Europe, Asia and Africa. The initiative aims at enhancing the orderly free-flow of economic factors and efficient resource allocation.

Responding to concerns that some countries are harbouring doubts over the initiative’s transparency and its conformity to international rules, Mr Wang clarified that the project is a transparent initiative that follows golden rules of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits for all countries involved

. “The planning and implementation of the initiative’s projects have been discussed by the participants in the open. No country is dominating the process. All parties have an equal say. There is no back room deal. Everything is transparent. There is no winner takes all. Every project delivers win-win results,” Wang said.

He noted that a large number of projects carried out under the initiative are of high value and importance to the economic and social development of the host countries.

“We sincerely ask for ideas from all parties so that together we will make a success of the Belt and Road Initiative. Our goal is to, not only strengthen physical interconnectivity of infrastructure, but also improve institutional connectivity of policies, rules and standards,” he explaine