Xi Jinping calls for the development of China-Africa ties

Chinese President Xi Jinping called for a high-level Sino-African community with a shared future. The development of bilateral relations continues to gain momentum.

Xi said this in his congratulatory message to the 36th African Union (AU) Summit held at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital. The two-day event, which ended on Sunday, was attended by African leaders, United Nations officials and senior representatives of various international organisations.

Congratulating African countries and their peoples on the opening of the summit, Xi said the AU had in the past year united and led the continent to confront global challenges, accelerate the development of the African Continental Free Trade Area and play an important mediation role in addressing hot issues in Africa, raising its international status and influence.

He also expressed his sincere hope that the continent's countries and their peoples would make great strides on the road to development.

Xi noted that China-Africa relations have maintained the momentum in 2022.

The president stressed that he is ready to work with African leaders to further strengthen cooperation and promote coordination in international and regional affairs, and to promote the construction of a high-level Sino-African community with a shared future.

Ties between China and Africa have been deepening over the years through the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and other multilateral platforms.

The PRC has been Africa's largest trading partner for 13 consecutive years, with bilateral trade reaching more than $282 billion in 2022, as reported by China Daily, a partner of TV BRICS.

The African Union (AU) was created in 2002 during the Durban summit as a result of the Sirte Declaration of 9 September 1999, thus becoming the successor to the Organisation of African Unity (OAU). The African Union currently has 54 members and its headquarters is located in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

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