Chinese, African leaders upgrade relations as historic summit closes

On the 15-year-old FOCAC, President Buhari, who commended the theme of the Second Summit, “China-Africa Progressing Together: Win-Win Cooperation for Common Development, expressed the hope that it would “engender the right platform to engage Africa in all fields of human endeavours such as provision of essential infrastructure, skills development and capacity building, diversification of our economies and beneficiation of resources”. Beijing is pleased to see that Guinea has beaten the Ebola virus, Xi said, recalling that when the crisis broke out previous year, his country, out of its brotherly bond with Guinea, took the lead in providing assistance.In each of those countries and in other large economies such as Nigeria, growth and currency values have plummeted to their lowest point in years.

“We have been very impressed by the speech of President Xi, because it is a very concrete proposal and a road map for the cooperation between China and Africa”, said Kadre Desire Ouedraogo, president of the Commission of the Economic Community of West Africa States.

President Zuma paid tribute to President Xi for the new measures and also acknowledged, “the tangible contribution of the People’s Republic of China’s with regard to peacekeeping in Africa”.

Matjila also welcomed the fact that China had dropped the interest rates on its soft loans to almost the price Africans could get them at home.

“We have successfully concluded all the major tasks of the summit”.

Xi said China’s aid would be directed at solving the three main bottlenecks which Africa faced – the lack of infrastructure, skilled workers and capital.

PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe yesterday blasted as distorted, claims by Africa’s detractors that the continent’s relations with China were based on the Asian country’s appetite for raw minerals.

The Chinese leader made the announcement during the China-Africa major summit held in Johannesburg, where multi-billion mega deals were inked by the two countries. We need to realise that we can be where China is today because we know where it is coming from as a once poor country.

Xi told hundreds of Chinese and African business dignitaries that China sincerely hopes to share its industrialization experiences with African countries and help the continent advance its own industrialization with financial, technological and talent support.

Accompanied by his wife Peng Liyuan, Xi concluded his schedule on Friday evening by attending the art performance at the closing ceremony of the Year of China in South Africa.