China and the United Nations - 50 Years and Beyond Symposium with the Center for China and Globalization

Mr. Wang Huiyao, President of the Center for China and Globalization, 

Ambassador Rahamtalla Osman, African Union Representative,

Mr. Wu Hongbo, Special Representative of the Chinese Government on European Affairs,

Tian Lin, Director-General of the Department of International Cooperation at CIDCA, 

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,

We are gathered here today to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the restoration of the lawful seat of the People’s Republic of China in the United Nations.

In doing so, we also recognize and celebrate China’s outstanding role in the United Nations and its sterling contribution to international development.

Over the past 50 years, China, as a responsible member of the international community, has been striving to safeguard the values and principles of the United Nations. China has also continued to be at the forefront of all major global initiatives aimed at making this world a better place to live in.

One of its major contributions is undoubtedly its precious support to the African countries’ efforts to fight against poverty and to achieve development and prosperity. 

Through various mechanisms, China’s development cooperation has constantly been present in Africa where it has played a major role in the economic and social development of many countries and brought tremendous changes to the living conditions of the populations. 

For instance, it is thanks to China-Africa cooperation that many African countries have seen a sharp increase in the number of their citizens who now have access to essential infrastructure like roads, electricity, potable water, schools and hospitals.

Capacity building and human resources training are also two areas where China-Africa cooperation has made significant strides, with China offering wide-ranging training opportunities to African students and civil servants.

Most importantly, Africa has learned from China’s development trajectory and rapid transformation the lesson that poverty is not a fate and can be eliminated. 

Since the establishment of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in the year 2000, China-Africa cooperation has given new impetus to South-South cooperation. Based on principles such as, inter alia, equality, mutual respect and mutual benefits, FOCAC has expanded China-Africa cooperation to new domains and demonstrated that the potential of international development cooperation is far from being exhausted.

As we prepare for the 8th Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation to be held later this month in Dakar, we are confident that FOCAC will remain true to its reputation as a win-win partnership and a pragmatic cooperation platform.

In this regard, it is important to build synergy between FOCAC, the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Agenda 2063 of the African Union and the national development strategies of China and the African Countries.

This was a commitment made at the 2018 Beijing Summit and it would be pertinent to enhance it at this crucial moment when the world is facing unprecedented challenges in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In particular, after 21 years of existence, FOCAC must demonstrate that it is possible to unlock the potential of African countries and to develop the continent by leveraging on international cooperation which can be supplemented by a greater participation from the private sector.

For this to be achieved, it is essential to invest in building in Africa an ecosystem of knowledge development that is conducive to sustainable economic and social transformation.

With an extremely young population projected to reach 2.5 billion in 2050, Africa is today the world’s largest reservoir of human capital and prospective talents. These young men and women are Africa’s most precious assets. If provided with appropriate education and training, they can become the next generation of skilled workers, managers, engineers and entrepreneurs who will scale up the productive capacities of their countries and turn Africa into an industrial and economic powerhouse.

Having successfully made the journey from poverty to prosperity, China is most qualified to be the strategic partner of the African countries at a time when Africa is resolutely determined to change the course of its history as epitomized by the implementation of the African Union’s Agenda 2063.

In this regard, I strongly believe that the United Nations can provide precious guidance and coordination to Africa and China so as to ensure a better planning of their cooperation within the FOCAC framework. 

In conclusion, I would like to reiterate my warm congratulations to China on this 50th anniversary and I wish the Chinese people continued peace and happiness.

I also thank the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office in China and the Center for China and Globalization for giving me the opportunity to speak at this very important event.

Thank you for your kind attention.