Viewpoints
Lay a Solid Foundation of People-to-people Affinity for China-Africa Community of Shared Future
Han Fangming • 1 •
China and Africa have always been a community of shared future, with solid basis for cooperation and profound friendship between the peoples. Strengthening solidarity and cooperation helps China and Africa take advantage of the opportunities and meet the challenges together. To meet the needs of China- Africa cooperation in the new era, the author suggests paying attention to and consciously channelling China’s domestic, African and international voices and attitudes towards China-Africa cooperation. In conducting public diplomacy, it is important to illuminate Chinese characteristics, enhance top-level design, and apply specific cooperation method to different countries so as to strategically lay a solid foundation of people-to-people affinity in building a China-Africa community of shared future.
Special Topic
China-African Relations and Public Diplomacy
Public Diplomacy Plays a Key Role in Facilitating People-to-people Exchange between China and Africa
Cheng Tao • 4 •
The key to sound relations between states lies in the affinity between their peoples, which largely stems from mutual understanding. The merit of public diplomacy lies in communication of cultures, ideas and people’s feelings towards each other, thus contributing considerably to facilitating people-to- people exchange. The contribution of public diplomacy to the China-Africa communication in the past cannot be overlooked. This article illustrates the important role public diplomacy has played in China-Africa interaction from a practical aspect, and points out the favorable conditions of Chinese public diplomacy with Africa as well as the confronting challenges.
Contention among Major Countries in Africa and China-African Relations
Sun Haichao • 8 •
Africa plays an indispensable role in the world, and it is increasingly becoming a hotly contested spot where some major powers of the world are engaged in intense competition, as a result of multiple factors. Western developed countries, led by France and the U.S., are striving to strengthen their control over Africa for political and economic interests, and hence have a wary eye and aggressive tone on China-Africa practical cooperation. Nonetheless, the rapid development of China-Africa ties cannot to be stopped, as China’s unselfish assistance has won wholehearted praise from African countries, whose active participation in the Belt and Road Initiative reflects their aspiration to develop. China-Africa relations are essentially different from the relations between the Western countries and Africa.
Actively Carry out Public Diplomacy to Improve China-Africa Ties
Zeng Xianqi • 12 •
China-Africa Strategic Partnership composes an irreplaceable part of China’s Reform and Opening-up in the new era. Through decades of development, China- African relations have seen great achievement, attracting worldwide attention. This article lists the rich fruits yielded in China-Africa friendly communication in the fields of political mutual trust, economic cooperation, cultural exchange and collaboration regarding regional and international affairs. As China-Africa ties are moving into a new stage, the author analyzes the current problems facing China in its public diplomacy with African countries and offers some specific advice.
China-Africa Joint Building of the Belt and Road Requires Precise Synergy
He Wenping • 19 •
The Beijing Summit of Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in early September highlighted the “2018 Year of Africa” in China. The event had a series of profound and far-reaching results, the most important of which was the consensus that China and African countries agreed to construct an ever closer community of shared future, and that African countries shall actively support and take part in jointly building the Belt and Road. During the summit, a total of 28 African countries plus the African Union signed the memorandum of understanding with the Chinese government. With the addition of the nine countries that had signed prior to the summit, the number of signatory countries reached 37, making up 70% of all countries attending the summit. Chairman Xi’s opening speech and the summit’s outcome document indicate that China will push forward cooperation with Africa with greater strategic composure, greater confidence in development, stronger willpower and more development policy. Looking into the future, to incorporate the development of Africa into the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) requires more delicate and detailed planning, a step further from the “broad strokes” in the last five years. It is necessary to synergize the BRI with the UN “2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,” African Union’s 2063 Agenda, and development strategies of respective African countries.
