Chinese VP calls for advancing China-Africa strategic partnership

SUZHOU, Jiangsu - Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping said Tuesday China is willing to join hands with African countries to further develop the new-type of strategic partnership.

Xi made the remarks in a keynote speech titled "Promoting New Development of the New Type of China-Africa Strategic Partnership", delivered at the opening ceremony of the second China-Africa People's Forum.

China-Africa relations are at a new starting point, Xi told the forum held in Suzhou, a tourist resort and economic hub in east China.

He proposed five proposals for advancing the relations.

Firstly, both sides must carry forward good traditions and safeguard common interests.

"The population of China and Africa put together accounts for about one third of the world's total. Therefore, without peace and development in China and Africa, it is impossible to see prosperity and progress in the whole world," according to the vice president.

He said China and Africa must continue to consolidate unity and cooperation, facilitate common progress, and help build a more just and rational international political and economic order in order to strengthen the political basis for China-Africa cooperation.

Secondly, both sides must keep abreast of the times and keep blazing new trails.

Nowadays, with the general public becoming more and more directly involved in China-Africa exchanges, there is a stronger will among people on both sides to see more progress in the relations, noted Xi.8   "We should create favorable conditions and let more people share in the plentiful fruit harvested, thereby cultivating public opinion on both sides in favor of China-Africa cooperation," Xi said.

Thirdly, both sides must persist in pragmatic cooperation for mutual benefit.

Highlighting that the keystone for China-Africa relations lies in win-win results, the vice president said China and Africa must make full use of the new opportunities brought about by their development.

They must implement the consensus on cooperation, expand the size and optimize the structure of trade and mutual investment, and cultivate new sources for growth so as to provide a solid material basis for overall cooperation, he urged.

Fourthly, both sides must increase solidarity and jointly build a harmonious world.

Both China and Africa are staunch forces safeguarding world peace and promoting common development, according to Xi.

They need to collaborate more in international affairs and safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries, the vice president suggested.

Lastly, both sides must seek all-round cooperation for an all-dimensional development of China-Africa relations.

Hailing the new-type China-Africa partnership's extension to political, economic, cultural and social spheres, Xi said the present situation requires both sides to further elevate the relations.

"We should enhance effective interaction among government, parliamentary, political party, public and people-to-people diplomacy, so as to establish an all-dimensional structure of cooperation for balanced and sustainable development of the partnership," he said.

About 300 delegates from China and 35 African states are attending the forum, taking place on Tuesday and Wednesday. The first China-Africa People's Forum was held in Nairobi, Kenya, last year.