Xi hosts regional leaders to set tune for China-Africa summit

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) – Chinese President Xi Jinping Monday hosted several regional leaders ahead of China-Africa summit, emphasizing sovereignty, and support for independent economic development.

Beijing will host a three-day Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) from Wednesday and many African leaders and officials are scheduled to attend it.

Xi Monday hosted several of those leaders for bilateral talks in Beijing, according to Hua Chunying, spokeswoman for China’s Foreign Ministry.

During his meeting with Mali's junta leader Assimi Goita, Xi recalled former Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai had visited the west African nation 60 years ago.

“The two sides issued a joint communiqué, which was the first public document that listed China’s eight principles for economic aid and technical assistance to other countries,” Xi told Assimi Goita.

The principles, Xi said, included “respect for sovereignty, support for independent economic development and non-interference in internal affairs.”

These principles, said the Chinese leader, are a “pioneering effort of China and Africa to make the world order fairer and more just.”

- ‘Time-honored, resilient, vibrant friendship with Africa’

In his meeting with DR Congo President Felix Tshisekedi, Xi said: “With remarkable achievement in practical cooperation, China and DR Congo have become a stellar example of developing countries partnering up for modernization.”

Xi also met Djibouti President Ismail Omar Guelleh who the Chinese leader described as “an important witness and participant in the development and success” of FOCAC.

“China shares a time-honored, resilient and vibrant friendship with Togo and with Africa as a whole,” Xi told President Faure Gnassingbe of Togo.

“The friendship was forged by the elder generation” of Chinese and African leaders, including Chinese Communist Party former Chairman Mao Zedong, former Premier Zhou Enlai and former President Gnassingbe Eyadema, he recalled.

During his meeting with President Azali Assoumani of the Comoros, Xi said China was ready to partner with the African nation “to tackle poverty and transform Comoros’ geographical advantage and marine resource endowment into growth drivers, and make the China-Comoros community with a shared future.”

The two nations will mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties next year.

During the summit which begins Wednesday, the participants are expected to discuss China’s trillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and its integration with Africa's Agenda 2063.

In past 22 years since 2000 when FOCAC was established, China has built some 100,000 kilometers (62,138 miles) of highways and 10,000KM of railways in Africa, according to Hua, the ministry spokeswoman.

Besides, Hua said, China built over 200 schools, over 130 hospitals, nearly 100 ports as well as 50 stadiums on the continent.

According to Boston University Global Development Policy Center database, Chinese lenders provided 1,306 loans amounting to $182.28 billion to 49 African governments and seven regional borrowers from 2000 until last year.

Beijing also founded China-Africa Development Fund in 2006.