China-Africa cooperation in the Belt and Road Initiative aligns closely with the development needs of African countries, bringing tangible benefits to Chinese and African people, senior officials from China and African nations said.
They made the remarks at a high-level meeting on high-quality Belt and Road cooperation held on the sidelines of the 2024 FOCAC Summit in Beijing on Thursday afternoon.
Vice-Premier Ding Xuexiang hailed the significant progress made through China-Africa cooperation within the framework of the BRI.
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Ding, who is also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, noted that the BRI has become the largest, most extensive and most influential international economic cooperation platform.
Ding said that China and Africa should serve as exemplars of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation and deliver more tangible benefits to their peoples by jointly building a comprehensive connectivity network, enhancing the quality of economic cooperation, expanding practical collaboration and promoting cultural and people-to-people exchanges.
The BRI has not only enhanced connectivity, but also spurred growth in various industries across Africa, said Gambian President Adama Barrow.
For instance, China's participation in power and transportation infrastructure projects in Gambia has significantly boosted the country's economic development and the well-being of its people, he said.
Barrow further noted that the goals of the African Union's Agenda 2063 align closely with the China-Africa Cooperation Vision 2035.
The economic partnership between China and Africa in agriculture, trade, investment and other related fields will undoubtedly help address the continent's need to attract investment, he added.
Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera, president of Malawi, said the BRI aligns well with the Program for Infrastructure Development in Africa.
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Both initiatives advocate the development of efficient, safe, affordable and reliable transportation to ensure the smooth flow of goods, he said.
He noted that for Malawi, the BRI offers the most viable solution to its long-standing development challenges, and the initiative is an ambitious endeavor aimed at helping the Global South transition from poverty to prosperity.
The BRI has already delivered tangible results in Africa, and now is the time to fully integrate the initiative with the continent's infrastructure projects, Chakwera said.
Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, the interim president of Gabon, said that the BRI provides an inclusive development model for the world, and particularly for Africa.
He expressed his nation's desire to participate more broadly in China-Africa BRI cooperation.
