China-Africa Cooperation Sets a Fine Example

中非合作是南南合作典范

H.E. Ambassador Zhang Ming

驻欧盟使团团长张明大使

8 September 2018

2018年9月8日

To the west of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania’s capital, 70 Chinese nationals have been laid to rest. Most were engineers and technicians who died during the construction of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway (TAZARA) in the 1970s. They gave their lives for the spirit of friendship, and their story is always remembered by Chinese, Tanzanians, Zambians and other friends across the African continent.

在达累斯萨拉姆的一处墓地，长眠着70位中国公民，多数是上世纪70年代在修建坦赞铁路时殉职的中国专家。这段用生命铸就的中非合作友情，在中国、坦桑尼亚、赞比亚乃至整个非洲家喻户晓。

We now live in a different world, yet the friendship between China and Africa remains as strong as ever, and embraces new dimensions. Chinese and African leaders gathered once again in Beijing for the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) earlier this month. President Xi Jinping announced significant measures for further cooperation with Africa. China will launch, in close collaboration with African partners, eight major initiatives in the coming three years and beyond, namely, industrial promotion, infrastructure connectivity, trade facilitation, green development, capacity building, healthcare, people-to-people exchanges, and peace and security. To make sure that these initiatives are well implemented on the ground, China will extend $60 billion of financing to Africa in the form of government assistance as well as investment and financing by financial institutions and companies. The Beijing Declaration adopted by the forum points out that China and Africa will enhance collective dialogue, strengthen traditional friendship, deepen practical cooperation, and work together to build a stronger China-Africa community with a shared future.

这段友情延续至今，并在新的时代得到新的弘扬。本周，中非合作论坛北京峰会成功举办，中国和非洲国家领导人齐聚一堂，共商合作与发展大计。习近平主席在会上宣布了推进对非合作的重要举措，包括在未来三年及今后一段时间重点实施产业促进、设施联通、贸易便利、绿色发展、能力建设、健康卫生、人文交流、和平安全等八大行动，并以政府援助、金融机构和企业投融资等方式，为非洲提供600亿美元支持。会议通过的《北京宣言》强调，中非将加强集体对话，增进传统友谊，深化务实合作，携手打造更加紧密的中非命运共同体。

The defining feature of China-Africa cooperation is sincerity and equality. China and Africa are closely bound by their similar historical experiences, common aspirations for the future, and shared commitment to make progress together. China sincerely hopes that Africa can achieve greater prosperity and that its people will lead a better life. China always bears in mind Africa’s concerns and priorities, and works constantly to enhance cooperation with Africa as equals, with a view to contributing to the development of this land of great promise. UN Secretary-General António Guterres recently commended China-Africa cooperation for its exemplary role in South-South cooperation which “makes important contributions to world peace and development with demonstrative significance”.

纵览中国对非合作的所有举措，一条主线就是真诚友好、平等相待。相似的历史遭遇，共同的奋斗历程，相同的梦想追求，让中国与非洲的心紧紧相连。中国是真心诚意地希望非洲走上发展的康庄大道，希望非洲人民过上更好的生活。正因为如此，中国始终急非洲所急，想非洲所想，持之以恒、坚定不移地做大做强与非洲的合作，不断为非洲这片“发展的热土”增砖添瓦、加油助力。正如联合国秘书长古特雷斯所说，中非合作已成为南南合作的典范，具有重要的全球性示范意义。

China-Africa cooperation has produced notable results. Take railways for example. In the past four decades since the TAZARA was completed, China has, and is building, over 6,200 kilometers of railway in Africa through assistance, investment and financing. The Mombasa-Nairobi railway in Kenya is a stellar example in this regard. Over the past year since its inauguration, trains running along the line have attained an occupancy rate of over 95 percent. The project has lowered cargo transportation cost by 80 percent, and pushed up Kenya’s GDP by around 1.5 percent. It has created nearly 50,000 local jobs and helped train nearly 1,000 transport professionals. Local people fondly call it the “road to prosperity.” Personally, I had the great privilege to be awarded Moran of the Order of the Burning Spear by President Uhuru Kenyatta for my contribution to this project. It is with tangible outcomes that China-Africa cooperation has won the trust of African people.

中国对非洲合作的成效有目共睹。以铁路为例，坦赞铁路建成之后的40多年里，中国通过援助和投融资已经和正在非洲修建的铁路已长达6200多公里。肯尼亚蒙内铁路运行一年多，平均上座率超过95%，货物运输成本下降近80%，累计为当地创造了近5万个就业机会，培养了近1000名运输领域专业人才，带动肯尼亚GDP增长约1.5%，被当地老百姓誉为“繁荣发展之路”。我本人也荣幸地为此获得肯雅塔总统颁发的肯尼亚“燃烧之矛”勋章。中国对非合作是以实实在在的成果，赢得了非洲人民的信任。

Before coming to Brussels, I worked in Africa for years. Africa has been a frequent topic in my conversations with European colleagues. Most people speak positively of China-Africa cooperation, yet I still hear some skeptical and even accusatory voices. The best way to address such misunderstanding is to listen to what African people say for themselves, or to personally go to the continent to see what China is exactly doing on the ground. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, while addressing the FOCAC, recognized that the forum serves as an effective platform for South-South cooperation focused on the substantial improvement of the quality of lives of all the people of Africa. “In the values that it promotes, in the manner that it operates and in the impact that it has on African countries, FOCAC refutes the view that a new colonialism is taking hold in Africa, as our detractors would have us believe.” President of Rwanda Paul Kagame, chairperson of the African Union, believed that the so-called China “debt trap” is a fabricated concept and an attempt to discourage relations between China and Africa. “The relationship between Africa and China is based on equality, mutual respect and a commitment to a shared wellbeing,” remarked President Paul Kagame. “Today the forum has grown into a powerful engine of cooperation fully aligned with Africa's Agenda 2063 and Sustainable Development Goals.”

我曾长期从事对非工作，也多次和欧洲朋友就非洲事务交换看法。大多数人都对中非合作给予积极评价，但我也听到一些质疑和指责。对于这些负面声音，我想最有说服力的回答，就是多听听非洲人民自己怎么说、多到实地看看中国究竟为非洲做了什么。正如非盟轮值主席、卢旺达总统卡加梅所说，非洲国家足够清醒，对自身如何发展有自己的选择和考虑，不需要外界指手画脚。南非总统马福萨近日也表示，中国在非洲的参与给非洲及其在全球的地位带来巨大改变；与其将中国投资视为“债务陷阱”，不如扪心自问为何不对非洲国家进行援助。

We are pleased to see that many countries are revising their Africa policy and are increasing their input by leveraging their strength. To African countries, this is indeed a welcome development. Only when Africa gets better off, can the whole world become a better place. Only when Africa gets stronger, can the whole world become more peaceful, prosperous and stable. This point must resonate well with Europe due to its geographic proximity and traditional links with Africa. China has an interest to join forces with the European Union to explore more ways of dialogue and cooperation in relation to Africa. Our cooperation with Africa stands to benefit all sides and contribute to Africa’s peace and development.

我们很高兴地看到，世界各大国都在重新审视非洲、更加重视非洲。相信非洲各国也欢迎有关国家积极发挥自己的比较优势，加大对非洲的投入。非洲好，世界才能好起来。非洲发展了，世界才能更加和平、更加繁荣、更加稳定。欧洲与非洲地理相近，传统联系紧密，对此会有更深的感受，对非洲事务和中非合作也高度关注。中方愿与欧盟一道，以中非合作论坛北京峰会为契机，探索对话合作新路径，实现对非合作互利多赢，为非洲和平发展做出更大贡献。