The President of the People’s Republic of China, Xi Jinping, welcomed the Presidents of Senegal and Sierra Leone, Bassirou Diomaye Faye and Julius Maada Bio, respectively, in Beijing today. This meeting coincides with the commencement of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, which is scheduled to take place from today until September 6. The official opening ceremony of the forum is set for tomorrow, September 5, during which President Xi will deliver a keynote address.

This forum, now in its ninth iteration, serves as the primary multilateral coordination mechanism for collaboration between African nations and China and is instrumental in facilitating cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The inaugural summit was convened in October 2000 in Beijing, with subsequent meetings occurring in various locations including Addis Ababa, Sharm el Sheikh, Johannesburg, and Dakar, and returning to Beijing for several sessions. As of 2022, the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) comprises 53 African countries, excluding Eswatini, along with China and the African Union Commission.

According to a statement from the Chinese Foreign Ministry released prior to the summit, the theme selected for this year’s forum is “Joining forces to promote modernization and building a high-level China-Africa community with a shared future.” In the days preceding the forum, President Xi engaged in several discussions with African leaders. Notably, during a meeting on September 2 with Togolese President Faure Gnassingbé, Xi emphasized the summit’s importance in shaping China-Africa relations. The two leaders anticipated increased collaboration in infrastructure development, agriculture, and water conservation. They subsequently elevated their countries’ bilateral relations to the status of a comprehensive strategic partnership, a development similarly recognized with Djibouti on the same occasion.

Furthermore, significant advancements in diplomatic ties were reported following President Xi’s discussions with leaders from Seychelles, the Comoros Islands, Mali, and Chad, all of whom established strategic partnerships with China. A particularly noteworthy engagement involved President Xi’s meeting with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, marking the latter’s second visit to China.

The upcoming events promise to reinforce the existing bonds between China and African nations while exploring new avenues for collaboration across various sectors, thus affirming the commitment of both parties to mutual development and prosperity.

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