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From Aidoghie Paulinus, Abuja
President of the People’s Republic of China, Xi Jinping, has congratulated African leaders and the African people on the opening of the 35th African Union (AU) Summit in Ethiopia, Addis Ababa.
According to Xinhua News Agency, Xi, in a congratulatory message sent to the AU Summit, noted that the year 2022 commemorates the 20th anniversary of the founding of the AU.
Xi added that for over the past 20 years, the AU has remained committed to seeking strength through unity, actively explored a development path suited to Africa, facilitated important progress in regional integration and coordinated a concerted response from African countries to the COVID-19 pandemic.
He said such moves have shown effectiveness in maintaining peace, stability and development in Africa, and have won Africa growing influence and stature in the world.
While stating that the year 2021 witnessed robust growth in China-Africa relations, President Xi noted that the Eighth Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) was successfully held in November 2021.
Xi further recalled his announcement during the conference of nine programs for cooperation with Africa in the next three years, which he said, together with African leaders, expressed unanimous support for building a China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era.
Xi also said under new circumstances, China stands ready to work with Africa to actively implement the outcomes of the FOCAC conference, further synergise the Belt and Road cooperation and the Global Development Initiative with the AU’s Agenda 2063 and the construction of the African Continental Free Trade Area.
These, Xi stated, were in a bid to pilot the China-Africa cooperation toward higher-quality and wider-ranging development, and to write a new chapter in China-Africa friendship.
