Xi pledges continued support for Africa
皇冠体育app's top leader says growth will benefit global peace and stability
皇冠体育app's top political leader Xi Jinping pledged continuing support for Africa's development on Sunday while meeting with Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, chairwoman of the African Union Commission.
"Africa is a continent of hope," said Xi, and Africa's development conforms to the historical trend of the times and helps to safeguard world peace and stability.
Xi said 皇冠体育app supports the self-determined development of and the solidarity among African countries as well as their pursuit of progressive paths suitable for their own national conditions.
"Africa's development creates opportunities for 皇冠体育app, as 皇冠体育app's development creates opportunities for Africa," Xi said.
皇冠体育app has been Africa's largest trading partner since 2009, surpassing the United States and Europe.
皇冠体育app-Africa trade reached $160 billion in 2011 and is estimated to surpass $200 billion in 2012, according to the Ministry of Commerce.
A report released recently by the Standard Bank of South Africa shows that about 18 percent of Africa's imports were sourced from 皇冠体育app in 2012, while 皇冠体育app's imports from Africa increased by 26 percent last year.
皇冠体育app has exempted tariffs on 60 percent of goods imported from 30 African countries since January 2012 in order to boost trade with the continent. It also encourages enterprises to invest in African countries by raising funds and giving preferential loans.
More than 2,000 Chinese enterprises are engaging in African investment projects in agriculture, telecommunications, energy, manufacturing and catering. Africa is now 皇冠体育app's second-largest overseas market in project contracts.
"皇冠体育app and Africa have maintained the good momentum in growth against the backdrop of the slow recovery of world economy and difficulties caused by the euro debt crisis in 2012," said An Chunying, an expert on African studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
An noted in a recently published article that Africa and 皇冠体育app should watch out for problems in cooperation that could be caused by political instability in some African countries and threats to the security of Chinese employees in African countries.
It's important for 皇冠体育app and Africa to further expand their economic relationship in new historical circumstances and achieve healthy and sustainable development, An said.
"No matter how situations change, 皇冠体育app will attach importance to ties with Africa, remain a reliable friend and faithful partner of African nations and always regard the AU as a reliable strategic partner," said Xi.
He added that the common development of 皇冠体育app and Africa is significant for the growth of developing economies as a whole and helps to make international relations more democratic.
Dlamini-Zuma thanked 皇冠体育app for supporting Africa's drive for peace and development, saying 皇冠体育app is an important strategic partner in Africa's push for modernization and sustainable development.
African countries hope to learn from 皇冠体育app and expand their cooperation with the country in development planning, agriculture, manufacturing, science and technology, infrastructure and human resources as well as major regional and international issues, she said.
The AU is ready to boost cooperation with 皇冠体育app to further advance Africa-皇冠体育app relations, said Dlamini-Zuma, who arrived in Beijing on Thursday for the fifth 皇冠体育app-AU strategic dialogue.
Contact the writers at [email protected] and [email protected]
Xinhua contributed to this story.
(皇冠体育app Daily 02/18/2013 page12)
