勠力同心，结伴前行，共创中非关系更加美好的明天

Forge ahead Together to Deliver a Brighter Future for China and Africa

——王毅国务委员兼外长在庆祝“非洲日”招待会上的致辞

– Remarks by H.E. Wang Yi, State Councilor and Foreign Minister of the People’s Republic of China, at Reception Commemorating Africa Day

2021年5月25日，北京

Beijing, 25 May 2021

尊敬的非洲驻华使团长马丁·姆帕纳大使阁下，

尊敬的非盟驻华代表拉赫曼塔拉·奥斯曼大使阁下，

尊敬的各位使节，

女士们，先生们，朋友们：

Your Excellency Ambassador Martin Mpana, Dean of the African Diplomatic Corps in China,

Your Excellency Ambassador Rahamtalla Mohamed Osman Elnor, Permanent Representative of the African Union to China,

Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Friends,

很高兴出席今天的招待会，同非洲的兄弟姐妹们一起庆祝第58个“非洲日”。我谨代表中国政府，向各位非洲驻华使节，向兄弟的非洲国家和人民致以节日的祝贺！在此，也衷心感谢各位使节为深化中非友谊、推进中非合作作出的重要贡献。

It is a great pleasure to attend today’s reception and celebrate the 58th Africa Day with our African brothers and sisters. On behalf of the Chinese government, I extend warm congratulations to you and to all the brotherly African countries and peoples. I also wish to thank all of you for the important part you have played in deepening China-Africa friendship and advancing China-Africa cooperation.

“非洲日”是非洲人民争取独立、加强团结的重要纪念日。非常感谢非洲驻华使团长热情洋溢的讲话和非盟委员会法基主席发来的贺电。首先我想说的是，“非洲日”就是“中国日”，是中非双方共同的节日，值得我们每年共同纪念和庆祝！58年前，在泛非主义旗帜引领下，非洲统一组织应运而生，开启了非洲联合自强、发展振兴的新征程。近年来，非洲团结合作、和平发展的势头不断增强，非洲自贸区正式实施，一体化建设取得重要进展，非洲国家的集体影响力显著提升，在国际事务中发挥越来越重要的作用。

Africa Day is an important annual event to commemorate African people’s struggle for independence and African unity. I thank the dean of the African diplomatic corps in China for his warm remarks and the statement from AU Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat. And I want to say at the outset that Africa Day is also a China Day; it is our common festival that we should commemorate and celebrate together every year.

Fifty-eight years ago, inspired by Pan-Africanism, the Organisation of African Unity was founded. Africa thus embarked on a new journey to strengthen itself and promote development and rejuvenation through unity. In recent years, African unity, cooperation, peace and development have gained new momentum. The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) has been officially launched, important headway has been made toward African integration, the collective international profile of African countries has significantly risen, and Africa is playing an increasingly important role in international affairs.

各位使节，各位朋友，

Excellencies,

Friends,

加强同非洲国家的团结合作，始终是中国外交优先方向。中非双方在争取国家独立、维护民族尊严的伟大斗争中并肩战斗，在发展经济、改善民生的宏伟征程中结伴同行，在涉及彼此核心利益和重大关切问题上相互支持。无论国际风云如何变幻，中非友谊始终坚如磐石、历久弥新。

Enhancing unity and cooperation with Africa has always been high on China’s diplomatic agenda. China and Africa fought shoulder to shoulder in the great struggle to win independence and uphold dignity. We have partnered with each other in pursuit of economic development and better lives for our peoples; and we have supported each other on issues that are important to our core interests and are of major concern to us. Despite rapid changes in the international landscape, China-Africa friendship has remained rock-solid and as strong as ever.

——面对疫情挑战，我们互施援手，共克时艰。疫情发生后，非洲国家和非盟在中国抗疫的艰难时刻给予我们坚定支持，中方铭记于心。习近平主席心系非洲疫情，去年6月倡议召开中非团结抗疫特别峰会，同11位非方领导人通话，展现了中非双方患难与共的特殊情谊。中国政府向非洲国家提供了多批次紧急抗疫物资和疫苗援助，向非洲15国派遣了抗疫医疗专家组，同38个非洲国家的43个医院开展对口医院合作，培训当地医护人员2万多人次，提前开工建设非洲疾控中心总部，诠释了中非命运共同体的真谛。中方积极参与二十国集团缓债倡议，已同19个非洲国家签署缓债协议或达成缓债共识，在中非合作论坛框架内免除15个非洲国家2020年底到期的无息贷款。我们对非洲面临的暂时困难感同身受，对非洲发展前景充满信心。

China and Africa have jointly responded to the COVID-19 challenge through mutual assistance. When COVID-19 struck, African countries and the AU gave China firm support at a tough time during its fight against the virus, a support we will never forget. President Xi Jinping is deeply concerned about the evolving COVID-19 situation in Africa. He called for holding the Extraordinary China-Africa Summit, which was held last June, and he respectively spoke with 11 African leaders over the phone, which is a true testament to the special bond between China and Africa who reach out to each other during trying times.

The Chinese government has provided multiple batches of emergency medical supplies and vaccine donations to African countries and sent medical groups to 15 African countries. Chinese hospitals have been paired up with 43 hospitals in 38 African countries, and China has trained more than 20,000 African health workers. The construction of the African CDC headquarters was started ahead of plan. These concrete efforts give true meaning to the China-Africa community with a shared future. China has actively participated in the G20 Debt Service Suspension Initiative. We have signed debt suspension agreements or reached similar understanding with 19 African countries, and canceled the interest-free loans due to mature by the end of 2020 for 15 African countries within the framework of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). We fully understand the difficulties currently experienced by Africa and have every confidence in Africa’s future development prospects.

——面对病毒阻隔，我们砥砺前行，推进合作。疫情形势下，中国连续第12年蝉联非洲最大贸易伙伴国，对非直接投资保持平稳发展，2020年达30亿美元，众多中国工程技术人员在非洲坚守岗位，1100多个合作项目坚持运行，为非洲国家复工复产提供有力支持。中非“一带一路”合作不断走深走实，46个非洲国家和非盟委员会同中方签署了合作协议。去年11月，我们隆重庆祝中非合作论坛成立20周年，决心继续擦亮中非合作这一块金字招牌，推动中非合作朝更高质量方向发展。目前，2018年论坛北京峰会“八大行动”整体落实率超过85%，600亿美元配套资金有70%投入使用或作出安排，一大批合作项目落地生根，为非洲经济复苏提供有力支撑。

China and Africa have pressed ahead in pursuit of cooperation despite difficulties caused by the virus. Even with COVID-19, China has remained Africa’s largest trading partner for 12 consecutive years. Direct Chinese investment in Africa has been steady, reaching US$3 billion in 2020 alone. Many Chinese engineers and technicians chose to stay at their posts in Africa despite the pandemic; and over 1,100 cooperation projects have maintained operation, providing strong support to economic reopening in Africa. Solid progress has been made in China-Africa cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Forty-six African countries and the AU Commission have signed cooperation agreements with China under this initiative. At the celebration of the 20th anniversary of FOCAC last November, both sides committed to keep FOCAC a pacesetter of China-Africa cooperation and pursue China-Africa cooperation of even higher standard. Today, over 85 percent of the eight major initiatives announced at the 2018 Beijing Summit have been implemented, 70 percent of the US$60 billion supporting funds have been disbursed or earmarked, and a large number of cooperation projects have been launched or completed. All this provides a strong buttress for Africa to achieve economic recovery.

——面对国际变局，我们主持公道，相互支持。单边主义、保护主义和霸凌行径严重损害国际公平正义，违背发展中国家共同利益。中非双方高举多边主义旗帜，共同发出反对疫情政治化、反对种族歧视和反对外来干涉的正义之声。上周，中非双方在联合国安理会“推进非洲疫后重建，消除冲突根源”公开辩论会上共同发起“支持非洲发展伙伴倡议”，这是新形势下中非加强团结协作、共促公平正义的重要体现，也是我们一道为深化全球合作、推进多边主义作出的重要贡献。

China and Africa have stood up for justice and supported each other in a changing world. Unilateralism, protectionism and acts of bullying have undermined both international equity and justice and the common interests of developing countries. Both China and Africa have stayed true to multilateralism, and we are both opposed to politicizing COVID-19, acts of racism and outside interference. Last week, at the UN Security Council open debate on “Peace and Security in Africa: Addressing Root Causes of Conflict in Post-Pandemic Recovery in Africa”, we jointly launched the Initiative on Partnership for Africa’s Development. This initiative fully demonstrates the importance of boosting China-Africa coordination under new conditions to uphold equity and justice, and it represents our joint contribution to advancing global cooperation and multilateralism.

各位使节，各位朋友，

Excellencies,

Friends,

今年对于中非双方都是具有特殊和重要意义的一年。中方将隆重庆祝中国共产党百年华诞，开启全面建设社会主义现代化国家新征程，而新一届中非合作论坛会议则将为中非关系未来发展作出新的规划。站在新的起点上，我愿就开创中非合作新局面提出四点建议：

This year is of special significance to both China and Africa. China will commemorate the centenary of the Communist Party of China and embark on a new journey to fully build itself into a modern socialist country. At this year’s FOCAC meeting, a new blueprint for the future development of China-Africa relations will be drawn up. We have reached a new starting point, and I propose that we take the following four steps to open up a new horizon for China-Africa cooperation:

第一，坚持与时俱进，办好新一届论坛会议。我们要发扬共商共建共享的论坛精神，克服疫情影响，立足中非实际，精心筹备会议成果。我们要继续深化中非“一带一路”合作，推动中非双方发展战略紧密对接。我们要围绕卫生健康、投资和贸易、工业化、农业安全、气候变化、和平安全、人力资源、数字经济等重点领域，推出有针对性的合作举措，更好造福中非人民。中方将同论坛非方共同主席国塞内加尔密切配合，汇集全体非洲国家的智慧，全力确保会议取得成功。

First, we need to keep pace with the times and make this year’s FOCAC meeting a success. We should act in the Forum spirit of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, overcome the impact of COVID-19 and, in keeping with the realities of China and Africa, ensure that the meeting delivers fruitful outcomes. We need to further deepen Belt and Road cooperation and forge strong complementarity between our development strategies. We need to adopt sector-specific cooperation measures for priority areas such as health care, investment, trade, industrialization, agricultural security, climate change, peace and security, human resources and digital economy to deliver greater benefits to our peoples. China will work closely with Senegal, the African co-chair of FOCAC, draw on the vision of all African countries, and ensure the success of the FOCAC meeting.

第二，坚持同舟共济，携手早日战胜疫情。中方将继续向有需要的非洲国家提供疫苗和抗疫物资援助，为非洲国家在华采购疫苗提供便利，积极推进疫苗联合生产合作。中方明确支持非洲国家豁免疫苗知识产权的诉求，致力于消除“疫苗鸿沟”，愿加快建设非洲疾控中心总部，切实增强非洲整体疫情防控能力。

Second, we need to join hands to beat the virus as quickly as possible. China will continue to provide assistance of vaccines and medical supplies to African countries in need, facilitate vaccine procurement by African countries from China, and advance cooperation on joint vaccine production. We unequivocally support African countries’ call to waive vaccine intellectual property rights. We are committed to eliminating the vaccine divide, and we will speed up the construction of the African CDC headquarters to enhance Africa’s overall pandemic response capacity.

第三，坚持共同发展，推动务实合作行稳致远。我们要以中国构建新发展格局和非洲自贸区正式实施为契机，实施更多高标准、惠民生的合作项目，支持非洲一体化建设，支持非洲工业化进程，支持非洲实现自主可持续发展。中方愿鼓励本国企业扩大对非投资贸易，积极进口非洲优质产品。中方将于下半年发布中国对非民间投资报告，推动中非互利合作之路越走越宽广。

Third, we need to pursue common development and steadily advance practical China-Africa cooperation. We need to make full use of opportunities created by China’s new development paradigm and the launch of the AfCFTA to conduct more high-standard collaboration projects and improve people’s well-being. China supports Africa’s integration efforts, its industrialization process, and its pursuit of self-driven and sustainable development. China encourages Chinese companies to increase investment in Africa and do more trade with it, particularly importing quality African products. China will release a report on its private sector investment in Africa in the second half of this year, and explore more possibilities to boost China-Africa cooperation.

第四，坚持公平正义，加强国际事务协调配合。我们要共同维护以联合国宪章宗旨和原则为基石的国际关系基本准则，维护联合国在国际事务中的核心作用，坚决反对搞新的集团对抗，反对任何形式的强权政治，践行真正的多边主义，捍卫发展中国家共同利益。

Fourth, we need to uphold equity and justice and strengthen coordination in international affairs. We should jointly safeguard the basic norms governing international relations underpinned by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and uphold the core role the United Nations plays in international affairs. We should resolutely reject attempts to create new bloc-confrontation, oppose power politics of all forms and manifestations, and practice true multilateralism to safeguard the common interests of developing countries.

各位使节，各位朋友，

Excellencies,

Friends,

明天，在场很多使节将赴新疆考察，实地感受新疆的发展进步。我相信，各位使节通过亲身访问，一定会发现“新疆是个好地方”。我也相信，在包括非洲国家在内的国际正义力量的支持下，新疆一定会发展得越来越好。

Tomorrow, many of you will leave for Xinjiang and see first-hand what Xinjiang has achieved in its development endeavors. I am sure that during your visit, you will find out why we Chinese fondly call Xinjiang a good place. I am confident that, with the support of African countries and other justice-upholding members of the international community, Xinjiang will make even bigger strides in its development endeavors.

扬帆再起航，阔步新征程。中非双方要继续勠力同心，沿着构建中非命运共同体的根本方向，谱写中非友好合作的新篇章！

Excellencies, it is time for China and Africa to set sail on a new journey. Let us continue to work with a common purpose, strive to build a China-Africa community with a shared future and write a new chapter in China-Africa friendship and cooperation.

最后，祝非洲繁荣昌盛、人民幸福安康！

May Africa enjoy prosperity and its people happiness.

祝中非友谊万古长青、中非合作蒸蒸日上！

May China and Africa enjoy everlasting friendship and flourishing cooperation.

谢谢大家！

Thank you!