Xi charts cooperation with African leaders
President receives heads of state, honors traditional friendships, highlights synergy of vision and underlines reinforced collaboration
President Xi Jinping accompanies South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Sunday. FENG YONGBIN/CHINA DAILY
Plans expected for joint work between Beijing, Pretoria in upcoming decade
President Xi Jinping called for joint efforts with South Africa to implement the consensus reached by the two sides and urged the drafting of plans to chart out cooperation between them over the next decade.
Xi made the remark on Sunday during a meeting with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.
Xi and Ramaphosa will separately chair two rounds of discussions on Tuesday during the 2018 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, which is being held on Monday and Tuesday.
Noting that China and South Africa are sincere friends who trust each other, Xi said that the summit is expected to inject strong momentum into the development of China-South Africa and China-Africa relations.
The goal of the summit is to build a closer community with a shared future for China and Africa, Xi said, adding that it has great significance for the development of China's comprehensive strategic partnership with the continent.
Xi said he would like to make joint efforts with Ramaphosa to achieve the goals of the summit.
The significance of the China-South Africa relationship has surpassed bilateral significance, Xi said, adding that the relationship now has global and strategic significance.
Since the establishment of diplomatic ties 20 years ago, China and South Africa have always respected, trusted and benefited each other, Xi said.
Xi said that the two countries should boost high-level exchanges and deepen mutual political trust.
The two countries should be dedicated to the development of China-Africa relations, enhance coordination under a multilateral framework and maintain the interests of developing nations, he said.
Xi recalled his state visit to South Africa in July, saying that he had deep exchanges with Ramaphosa.
Thanks to that visit, the two presidents have not only drawn blueprints for the development of China-South Africa relations in the new period, but also forged good relations both on official and personal levels, Xi said.
"I am very pleased with what we managed to discuss and achieve during the visit you had in South Africa," Ramaphosa said, adding that he and Xi had very deep discussions about a variety of issues both at the official level and on a one-to-one basis.
"During your recent visit to South Africa, we spoke about the need to strengthen high-level exchanges between China and South Africa, and also to deepen mutual trust and to increase exchanges," he said.
Ramaphosa said that he attached great importance to his state visit to China since it is the first one to the country after he took office as South African president in February.
"We believe that the state visit and our co-chairing of FOCAC will add further impetus to bilateral relations, but also will add further impetus to the relationship of China and the rest of the African continent," he said.
After the talks, the two leaders witnessed the signing of cooperation documents.
Ghana's AIIB entry welcomed
China welcomes Ghana to actively participate in the Belt and Road Initiative and join ranks with the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, President Xi Jinping said in a meeting with Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo on Saturday.
The AIIB now has 87 members.
Xi said China stands ready to seek synergy in development strategies with Ghana, expand bilateral cooperation in various areas and step up cultural and people-to-people exchanges.
Akufo-Addo is in Beijing for a state visit and to take part in the 2018 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, which is being held on Monday and Tuesday.
Noting the long tradition of friendship between the two countries, Xi said the pragmatic cooperation between them has yielded fruitful outcomes since the establishment of diplomatic relations.
China has always seen Ghana as a reliable friend and a good partner, he said. The bilateral ties have played an important role in leading the way for overall ties between China and the continent as a whole, he said.
The two sides should build upon their traditional friendship, inject new momentum and further enrich bilateral relations, he said, adding that the two countries should also conduct more high-level exchanges to further enhance mutual understanding.
The two countries should also strengthen communication and coordination on international and regional affairs to better safeguard the common interests of both, as well as those of developing nations, Xi said.
Akufo-Addo said the Ghana-China friendship, forged by senior leaders from the two sides, is unbreakable. Ghana has also been faithfully upholding the one-China policy.
"The cooperation between our two countries has been excellent, and for the last three years, China is now in fact the largest trading partner of Ghana," he said.
Ghana is willing to deepen bilateral relations with China, actively participate in the building of the Belt and Road, and inject new vitality into bilateral cooperation, he added.
As China marches on the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, it is also playing an important role in world peace and development, Akufo-Addo said, adding that China provides an important opportunity for Africa's stability and revitalization.
Ghana will always be China's trustworthy friend in Africa, he said.
Teamwork envisioned with Egypt
China and Egypt, both inheritors of ancient civilizations, should more closely align their development strategies and promote pragmatic cooperation, President Xi Jinping said on Saturday.
Xi was speaking at a meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi ahead of the 2018 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation.
Witnessed by the two presidents, China and Egypt signed a number of cooperation documents after their talks.
The two leaders agreed to jointly advance the China-Egypt comprehensive strategic partnership for greater development in the new era.
Egypt is an Arab and African nation, an Islamic country and a major emerging economy with increasing influence in regional and global affairs, Xi said.
Xi pledged to continue to support Egypt in its efforts to maintain stability, grow its economy and improve people's livelihoods while Egypt pursues a development path in line with its national conditions and plays a bigger role on the global stage.
He called on both sides to continue to support each other on issues involving their respective core interests, offer timely exchanges of views on bilateral relations and major issues of common concern, share their governance experiences and strengthen exchanges at all levels and across various fields.
Xi stressed that China views Egypt as an important partner in the development of the Belt and Road Initiative.
China is willing to align the BRI with Egypt's Vision 2030 and Suez Canal Corridor Development Project, promote pragmatic cooperation, and enhance collaboration in counterterrorism and security, he said.
Sisi noted that Egypt and China enjoy a traditional friendship with a high level of mutual trust, and closely coordinate with each other on major international issues.
Sisi said his country places a high priority on its comprehensive strategic partnership with China.
As one of the earliest countries to support the BRI, Egypt firmly believes that it will create enormous opportunities for bilateral cooperation as well as international and regional cooperation, he said.
Sisi added that Egypt will continue to support and participate in the BRI and, as the incoming holder of the African Union rotating presidency, it will also continue to promote cooperation between Africa and China.
Egypt speaks positively of China's work on resolving Middle East issues and is ready to strengthen coordination with China in multilateral areas, the Egyptian leader said.
