In early September 2024, Chinese and African leaders gathered in Beijing for the Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). Under the theme of “Joining Hands to Advance Modernization and Build a High-Level China-Africa Community with a Shared Future,” the leaders reviewed the journey of China-Africa friendship, and reached important consensus of strengthening comprehensive cooperation between China and Africa. The Summit adopted the Beijing Declaration on Jointly Building an All-Weather China-Africa Community with a Shared Future for the New Era, and the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Beijing Action Plan (2025-2027), which would ushered in new opportunities for China-Africa and China-Sierra Leone cooperation in various fields.
The bilateral relations between China and all African countries having diplomatic ties with China are now elevated to the level of strategic relations. China-Africa friendship was forged during the struggle for national independence and liberation, and has grown in the cause of common development and revitalization. We will never forget that our African brothers gave us firm support in restoring the lawful seat at the United Nations and have long upheld the One-China principle. Meanwhile, China-Africa cooperation has also played an important role in advancing Africa’s development and improving livelihood of the African people. Over the past 24 years since the founding of the FOCAC, China has helped Africa build or upgrade nearly 100,000 kilometers of roads, more than 10,000 kilometers of railways, nearly 1,000 bridges and nearly 100 ports. Achieving full coverage of the strategic partnership is an objective reflection of the high level of China-Africa cooperation, and a further upgrade of the traditional friendship between China and Africa.
The China-Africa community with a shared future has set an example and will write a new chapter in building a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind. From a new type of partnership to a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, then to an all-weather community with a shared future for the new era, this progress demonstrates the firm willing of the over 2.8 billion Chinese and African people to share weal and woe and march forward hand in hand amid once-in-a-century transformation of the world, and opens a new chapter in the cause of building a community with a shared future for mankind.
Jointly advance “the six modernizations” proves that China and Africa are fellow travelers on the road to modernization, and will send the strongest signal of South-South cooperation to the world. China and Africa account for one-third of the world population. Without our modernization, there will be no global modernization. President Xi Jinping pointed out that China and Africa should advance modernization that is just and equitable, that is open and win-win, that puts the people first, that features diversity and inclusiveness, that is eco-friendly, and that is underpinned by peace and security. These six propositions are widely accepted by African leaders, and have become common political consensus between China and Africa. It marks the two sides’ deepening understanding of the rules governing modernization, and will have a significant and far-reaching impact on spearheading faster modernization of the Global South and advancing global modernization.
“The ten partnership actions” that China would take with Africa to advance modernization will lead China-Africa practical cooperation and draw up a new blueprint for the common development of both sides. President Xi Jinping proposed that the Chinese government will provide 360 billion RMB of financial support to implement the ten partnership actions through the next three years, covering the areas of mutual learning among civilizations, trade prosperity, industrial chain cooperation, connectivity, development cooperation, health, agriculture and livelihoods, people-to-people exchanges, green development, and common security. China will voluntarily and unilaterally open its market wider and give all LDCs having diplomatic relations with China, including 33 countries in Africa, zero-tariff treatment for 100 percent tariff lines. It will implement 1,000 “small and beautiful” livelihood projects to deliver more fruits of development to the African people. China will build 100,000 mu (about 6,670 hectares) of standardized agriculture demonstration areas, launch 30 clean energy projects and create at least one million jobs for Africa. The above actions are in line with the urgent need for modernization on both sides and will provide a new blueprint for China-Africa cooperation to move forward in a higher quality, at a deeper level and in a wider field.
At the invitation of H.E. Xi Jinping, President of the People’s Republic of China, H.E. Julius Maada Bio, President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, paid a visit to China to attend the summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). This is President Bio’s second visit to China in 2024, during which the two heads of state reviewed the promising progress of bilateral relations since President Bio’s state visit to China in February, had an in-depth exchange of views and reached extensive and important common consensus for China-Sierra Leone practical cooperation in the next stage.
The two sides agreed to continue to stand firmly together on issues concerning each other’s core interests and major concerns, and Sierra Leone firmly pursues the One-China policy and is always to be a trustworthy friend of China. The two sides agreed to strengthen the synergy of development strategies, deepen cooperation in agriculture, infrastructure, resources, energy, security and other areas, and implement economic and livelihood projects to continuously improve people’s well-being. During the visit, the two sides also signed access certificates for Sierra Leonean fishery products to be exported to China, as well as cooperation agreements in mining, infrastructure, digital economy, science and technology. The two sides agreed to strengthen coordination and cooperation under the United Nations and other multilateral frameworks, promote unity and cooperation among countries in the Global South, advocate an equal and orderly multi-polar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, and jointly safeguard the interests of Africa and other developing countries. The above consensus provides guidance and impetus for the next stage of deepening and expanding China-Sierra Leone practical cooperation.
The successful convening of the FOCAC Summit has built a broad consensus for China and Africa to address challenges and a broad platform for sharing development opportunities. Standing at a new historical starting point, the road of China-Africa cooperation, which carries the expectations and dreams of 2.8 billion Chinese and African people, has entered the fast lane of a new era. China will work with Sierra Leone to implement the outcomes of the FOCAC Summit and further promote the existing bilateral cooperation. We believe that with the joint efforts, China-Sierra Leone friendly cooperation will gain more visible outcome and the Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership between two countries will continue to be consolidated.
