Published: 12:00, September 3, 2024 | Updated: 21:14, September 3, 2024
Xi meets with foreign leaders ahead of FOCAC summit in Beijing
By Xinhua
Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno, who is in Beijing for the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Sept 3, 2024. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

BEIJING - Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday met with African leaders who are in Beijing for the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), with China elevating ties with Nigeria, Chad, Malawi, and Mauritania.

Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno

During their meeting, Xi and Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno jointly announced the elevation of bilateral relations to a strategic partnership.

China and Chad have engaged in mutually beneficial cooperation and achieved substantial results under frameworks such as the Belt and Road Initiative and the FOCAC, Xi said.

China has been Chad's largest trading and investment partner for years, and their pragmatic cooperation has improved the well-being of both peoples, said Xi, adding that China is willing to further synergize development strategies with Chad and push for new progress in bilateral relations.

Xi said China highly appreciates Chad's staunch support on issues involving China's core interests and major concerns, noting that China will always support Chad in pursuing an independent development path and safeguarding its national sovereignty, security and development interests.

Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno, who is in Beijing for the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Sept 3, 2024. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

The two countries should strengthen exchanges, broaden consensus, consolidate political mutual trust and support each other firmly. Both sides should pursue win-win results and deepen pragmatic cooperation, he added.

China welcomes Chad to make good use of the outcomes of this FOCAC summit, deepen bilateral economic and trade cooperation, enhance its capacity for self-development and realize common development, Xi said.

President Deby said that, based on mutual respect and mutual benefit, Chad-China cooperation has yielded fruitful results. He also expressed his gratitude for China's valuable assistance to Chad's economic and social development, saying that the Chadian side remains firmly committed to further deepening friendly and mutually beneficial cooperation with China.

He said that China's continued development will bring more opportunities for the development of Chad, Africa, and the world at large.

He stressed that Taiwan is an inalienable part of the Chinese territory, and Chad will continue to firmly abide by the one-China principle.

During the summit, China and Chad will sign bilateral cooperation documents in areas such as implementing the Global Development Initiative, human resource development, peanut and sesame exports to China, and news media.

Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Malawian President Lazarus Chakwera, who is in Beijing for the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Sept 3, 2024. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

Malawian President Lazarus Chakwera

Xi and Malawian President Lazarus Chakwera jointly announced the elevation of bilateral ties to a strategic partnership during their meeting.

China stands ready to deepen the friendly cooperation with Malawi from the new starting point to promote common development and benefit their people, Xi said.

He said China is willing to share with Malawi opportunities brought by Chinese modernization, strengthen bilateral cooperation in fields such as agriculture, telecommunications and infrastructure, and encourage Chinese enterprises to invest in Malawi.

Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Malawian President Lazarus Chakwera, who is in Beijing for the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Sept 3, 2024. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

Chakwera said Malawi regards China as its most sincere friend.

Expressing support for strengthening the FOCAC mechanism, Chakwera said Malawi expects to take the summit as an opportunity to continue advancing Belt and Road cooperation, strengthen regional connectivity and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation with China.

During the summit, the two sides will sign cooperation documents on peanut export to China, news media development, and cooperation in other fields.

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu

At their meeting, Xi and Nigerian President Bola Tinubu announced the elevation of China-Nigeria ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership. Besides attending the summit, Tinubu is in Beijing for a state visit.

Xi said during their meeting that China is further deepening reform comprehensively to advance Chinese modernization, which will bring more opportunities for the development of China-Nigeria relations.

The two sides should work together to realize their respective modernization with high-quality cooperation and push China-Nigeria relations for new and greater development, he said.

Xi noted that the two countries should enhance strategic mutual trust, view and develop bilateral relations from a strategic and long-term perspective, and firmly support each other on issues of their respective core interests and major concerns.

Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with President Mohamed Ould Cheikh Ghazouani, who is in Beijing for the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Sept 3, 2024. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Cheikh Ghazouani

Xi and Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Cheikh Ghazouani jointly announced the elevation of bilateral ties to a strategic partnership during their meeting.

Xi emphasized that the two countries have always respected each other and treated each other as equals, with solid political mutual trust, fruitful cooperation and deep people-to-people friendship.

Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Kenyan President William Ruto, who is in Beijing for the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Sept 3, 2024. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

Kenyan President William Ruto

During a meeting with Kenyan President William Ruto, Xi noted that the two countries have been at the forefront of jointly advancing Belt and Road cooperation and completed a number of flagship infrastructure projects, significantly contributing to regional economic and social development and benefiting the two peoples.

China and Kenya should work together to deepen their comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, Xi said.

He proposed that both countries carry on their friendship and remain sincere partners who trust each other.

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The two sides should align high-quality Belt and Road cooperation with Kenya's economic blueprint, Vision 2030, and enhance cooperation in the digital economy, new energy, economy, trade, poverty alleviation and other areas, Xi said.

Xi stressed the importance of strengthened communication and coordination between the two countries on international and regional issues to jointly safeguard the shared interests of the Global South and promote regional peace and stability.

Ruto expressed the hope that the FOCAC summit will help further advance the Kenya-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.

Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Kenyan President William Ruto, who is in Beijing for the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Sept 3, 2024. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

He said Kenya welcomes China's continued efforts to increase investment in Kenya and expand practical cooperation in various fields, particularly in connectivity, new energy and youth development.

Ruto said a series of global initiatives put forward by Xi have played a leading role in strengthening the solidarity and cooperation among developing countries and Global South countries.

During the summit, the two countries are expected to sign a number of bilateral cooperation documents, covering areas such as financing and infrastructure.

Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who is in Beijing for the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Sept 3, 2024. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa

Xi held talks with Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who is also in Beijing for the summit and a state visit. 

Noting the profound traditional friendship between China and Zimbabwe, Xi said that consolidating and deepening the two countries' ironclad friendship aligns with the common expectations of the two peoples.

He proposed establishing a "five-star ironclad" cooperation framework underpinned by five key areas: politics, economy and trade, security, culture, and international coordination.

Xi urged joint efforts to build a high-level China-Zimbabwe community with a shared future. 

Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Chairperson of the African Union Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat, who is in Beijing for the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Sept 3, 2024. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

Chairperson of the African Union Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat

During a meeting with Chairperson of the African Union Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat, Xi said China supports the AU in playing a bigger role in the development of China-Africa friendship, noting that the AU is a flag guiding Africa's unity and self-strengthening and an important platform for international cooperation.

China stands ready to pursue greater achievements in various fields in its cooperation with the AU and elevate the China-Africa community with a shared future to a new level, he said.

China considers Africa a major priority in its diplomacy, and is willing to increase political exchanges, deepen strategic mutual trust, strengthen pragmatic cooperation, share development experience and promote common development with Africa, Xi stressed.

He said China and Africa should work closely to advocate an equal and orderly multipolar world, as well as universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization.

Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Chairperson of the African Union Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat, who is in Beijing for the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Sept 3, 2024. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

Faki spoke highly of the outstanding leadership of China and President Xi in promoting the partnership between Africa and China and the institutional development of the FOCAC. He thanked China for its valuable assistance to Africa in fields such as infrastructure, health, energy, industry and security.

He highlighted major initiatives proposed by Xi, including the Belt and Road Initiative, the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative. He said these initiatives dedicated to sharing peace and development opportunities among people around the globe are critical to promoting unity and cooperation among Global South countries and the justice of the global governance system.

Africa hopes that China will continue to play its leading role in and contribute more to helping realize modernization on the continent, as well as peace and development in the world, Faki added.