On December 6, Ambassador Liu Yuxi received an interview by Walta Information Center, made comments on main content of the Eighth Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), the China-AU relation, coping with climate change, the 50th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China's restoration of its lawful seat in the United Nations, major outcomes of the sixth plenary session of the 19th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China(CPC) and Chinese “People's Democracy”. The full text is as follows:
Journalist: Hello, ambassador, thank you for accepting our interview. The Forum on China-Africa Cooperation has gone through 21 years, and the 8th Ministerial Conference was also held this week. Would you talk about this ministerial conference?
Liu: The theme of this Ministerial Conference is “Deepen China-Africa Partnership and Promote Sustainable Development to Build a China-Africa Community with a Shared Future in the New Era”. The foreign ministers and ministers in charge of foreign economic cooperation affairs of 53 African countries, and representatives of the African Union, some international and regional organizations, attended the meeting. Chinese President Xi Jinping attended the opening ceremony of the conference via video link and delivered a keynote speech, fully demonstrating that China attaches great importance to China-Africa relations.
The Conference assessed the achievements of the previous Forum, discussed and finalized the plan for following-up cooperation, and adopted four documents, the largest member in Forum history. The success of the Conference confirmed the strong will of China and Africa to work together to overcome difficulties and seek common development, and showed the huge potential and bright prospects of China-Africa cooperation.
At this Ministerial meeting, the spirit of China-Africa friendship and cooperation was proposed for the first time-"sincere friendship and equality, win-win for mutual benefit and common development, fairness and justice, progress with the times and openness and inclusiveness". President Xi Jinping put forward four proposals on building a China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era, clarifying China's position on Africa from four aspects: fighting COVID-19 with solidarity, deepening practical cooperation, promoting green development, and upholding equity and justice. He pointed out that China would work closely with African countries to implement programs in nine areas: medical and health, poverty reduction and agricultural development, trade promotion, investment promotion, digital innovation, green development, capacity building, cultural and people-to-people exchange, peace and security. China will further provide another one billion doses of vaccines to Africa, to help the AU achieve its goal of vaccinating 60 percent of the African population by 2022. In the next three years, China will be in bid to reach 300 billion US dollars in total imports from Africa and encourage its businesses to invest no less than 10 billion US dollars. China will establish a platform for China-Africa private investment promotion; will provide credit facilities of 10 billion US dollars to African financial institutions, supporting the development of African SMEs on a priority basis, and establish a China-Africa cross-border RMB center. China will exempt African LDCs from debt incurred in the form of interest-free Chinese government loans due by the end of 2021 and is ready to channel to African countries 10 billion US dollars from its share of the IMF’s new allocation of Special Drawing Rights.
The most important consensus reached by China and Africa can be summarized in the following five aspects. First, both sides will promote the spirit of China-Africa friendship and cooperation. Second, China and Africa will work together to defeat the pandemic. Third, both sides will work to enrich China-Africa cooperation in the new era. Fourth, the two sides will work together to practice true multilateralism. Fifth, China and Africa will jointly build a China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era. Standing at a new historic starting point, China will always be Africa's most bona fide, most reliable, and longest-term partner. We believes that, with the strategic guidance of Chinese and African leaders and the joint efforts of both sides, we will definitely see the next "two golden decades" of the FOCAC and achieve greater success in building a China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era.
Journalist: As the head of Chinese Mission to AU, Could you please introduce the China-AU relation and how will China and AU deepen cooperation guided by the FOCAC Dakar Conference Outcome Framework?
Liu: China always attaches great importance to its relations with the African Union, regards the AU as a significant partner in advancing China-Africa cooperation, and firmly supports the AU in playing a greater role in African and international affairs. China-AU relation is strategic, exemplary and practical. This July, H.E. Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the AU Commission, sent a congratulatory letter to General Secretary Xi Jinping of Communist Party of China(CPC) on the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China. At the end of September sent a National Day congratulatory letter to President Xi. He also attended the National Day online reception held by our mission and delivered a passionate speech. At this Ministerial Conference, Faki said in his opening remarks that “Africa-China cooperation is a historic, strategic and lasting cooperation based on the principles of friendship, equality, unity, and mutual benefits. The theme of this conference perfectly reflects the expectations of the Africa-China government and people on the strategic partnership between the two sides”. These all reflect the high level of political mutual trust reached by the China and AU.
China will continue to work closely with the AU under the framework of FOCAC to promote the alignment of the first three-year plan of the China-Africa Cooperation Vision 2035 with the AU’s Agenda 2063 and accelerate the realization of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, especially contribute to the achievement of the agenda's goal of eliminating poverty in a generation. We will accelerate the construction of the “Belt and Road”cooperation and coordination mechanism, promote the implementation of the "Cooperation Plan between China and the AU on Jointly Promoting the Construction of the ‘Belt and Road’”, and create new highlights in practical cooperation. On the basis of promoting practical cooperation in fields such as health, employment and people's livelihood, we will strengthen cooperation in the fields of digital economy, green development, climate change, and biodiversity. China and AU will continue to strengthen our unity in the fight against the pandemic. China will speed up the construction of the African Center for Disease Control and Prevention, enhance the level of cooperation in the fields of public health, and support the AU in implementing its strategy for combating the COVID-19 epidemic in Africa. In addition, China will firmly support the AU’s efforts in maintaining stability, responding to regional tensions and advancing the process of African integration, will provide assistance to capacity building and peacekeeping operations of the AU, and will always be a most reliable and sincere friend and partner of the AU.
Journalist: Coping with climate change is a major issue for humanity at present.Africa is also the severest hit by climate change. Please talk about how China will help Africa cope with climate change.
Liu:The adverse impacts of climate change have become increasingly evident, presenting a growing urgency for global action. Most recently, President Xi Jinping delivered a written speech at the World Leaders Summit at the 26th Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP26) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), in which he put forward a three point suggestion on how to tackle climate change and promote world economic recovery, that is, upholding multilateral consensus, focusing on concrete actions and accelerating the green transition, which was highly appreciated by UN Secretary-General Guterres and all parties.
President Xi points out that all parties need to honor their commitments, set realistic targets and visions, and do their best according to national conditions to deliver their climate action measures. Developed countries should not only do more themselves, but also provide support to help developing countries to do better. It is important to harness innovations in science and technology to transform and upgrade our energy and resources sectors as well as the industrial structure and consumption pattern, promote a greener economy and society, and explore a new pathway forward that coordinates development with conservation.
China and Africa have both suffered a lot from climate change, though not due to their fault, and share common principles and positions on climate change.As Africa’s staunch partner in addressing climate change, China has actively carried out China-Africa green cooperation. China has signed cooperation agreements with a number of African countries on climate change and provided photovoltaic equipment to African countries. China always regards climate change response as one of the key areas of China-Africa cooperation. The Ministerial Conference of FOCAC adopted the China-Africa Declaration on Climate Change. President Xi Jinping reiterates that in the face of climate change, which is a major challenge to all humanity, we need to advocate green and low-carbon development, actively promote solar, wind and other sources of renewable energy, work for effective implementation of the Paris Agreement on climate change and keep strengthening our capacity for sustainable development. China will undertake 10 projects of green development, environmental protection and climate action for Africa, support the development of the “Great Green Wall”, and build in Africa centers of excellence on low-carbon development and climate change adaptation.
Journalist: This year marks the 50th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China's restoration of its lawful seat in the United Nations. What role has China played in the United Nations in the past 50 years?
Liu: I would like to take this opportunity to once again express my heartfelt thanks to the vast number of African friends who supported China that year. China will never forget the profound friendship of African countries and will remain guided by the principle of sincerity, real results, amity and good faith and the principle of upholding justice while pursuing shared interests. China will work together with African friends to promote and carry forward the spirit of China-Africa friendship and cooperation from generation to generation.
For the past 50 years, China has kept its solemn commitment to the UN Charter, made important contributions to the development of the UN, and contributed unique wisdom to UN and global governance. In the world today, changes unseen in a century are accelerating, and the force for peace, development and progress has continued to grow. It falls upon us to follow the prevailing trend of history, and choose cooperation over confrontation, openness over seclusion, and mutual benefit over zero-sum games. We shall be firm in opposing all forms of hegemony and power politics, as well as all forms of unilateralism and protectionism. We should vigorously advocate peace, development, equity, justice, democracy and freedom, which are the common values of humanity, and work together to provide the right guiding philosophy for building a better world. We should jointly promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, and work together to build an open, inclusive, clean and beautiful world that enjoys lasting peace, universal security and common prosperity. We should stay committed to mutual benefit and win-win results, and work together to promote economic and social development for the greater benefit of our people. We should step up cooperation, and work together to address the various challenges and global issues facing humanity. We should resolutely uphold the authority and standing of the United Nations, and work together to practice true multilateralism.
Journalist: The sixth plenary session of the 19th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China(CPC), which was held last month, was a grand event of great concern to all international parties. Could you please simply introduce the main content and major outcomes of the session?
Liu: At the centenary of the founding of the Party, the Central Committee of the CPC convened its Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee of the CPC, comprehensively reviewed the Party’s major achievements and historical experience over the past century. It fully reflected the high political awareness that the CPC attaches great significance to and makes good use of the law of history, and emanated the firm confidence and mission of the Party of the century to embark on the bright future of the second century.
The most important outcome of the Plenary Session is that it considered and adopted “the Resolution on the Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party over the Past Century”. It was the third historical resolution in the 100-year history of the Communist Party of China,brought to light “how we could succeed in the past, and how to continue to succeed in the future”. Over the past century, the CPC came out with 10 pieces of historical experience, namely, upholding the Party’s leadership, putting the people first, advancing theoretical innovation, staying independent, following the Chinese path, maintaining a global vision, breaking new ground, standing up for ourselves, promoting the united front, and remaining committed to self-reform.
The Plenary Session also made an important decision that the CPC will convene its 20th National Congress in Beijing in the second half of 2022. The CPC will unite and lead the Chinese people in surmounting difficulties and forging ahead so as to make new and greater contributions toward building a modern socialist country in all respects, securing great success for socialism with Chinese characteristic in the new era, realizing the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation, and to ensure that excellent results will be achieved by the time the 20th National Congress is convened.
Journalist: In early December, the “Summit for Democracy” will be held. What do you think is the most obvious difference between western democracy and Chinese “People's Democracy”?
Liu: Democracy is a common value of humanity, and is also an important concept that the Communist Party of China and the Chinese people have unswervingly adhered to. The “whole-process people’s democracy” in China is a complete system chain, including all elements of democratic politics such as electoral democracy, deliberative democracy, social democracy, grassroots democracy, and civil democracy, covering democratic elections, democratic consultations, democratic decision-making, democratic management, democratic supervision and other areas of the democratic process. It is an all-round, full-coverage democracy, and it is the most extensive, true and effective socialist democracy. The Chinese people have a high degree of self-confidence in the political system. The fundamental reason is that “whole-process people’s democracy” is a democracy with high democratic content, sufficient democratic quality, and welcomed by the Chinese people. This is the true people's democracy.
Democracy is not Coca-Cola, of which the whole world has only one taste. No force is qualified to deny the path chosen by other countries, and no country will reform its own system according to the likes and dislikes of others. After all, it is up to the people of the country to decide whether the system and road are right or wrong. We advocate that all countries follow a development path that suits their own national conditions and the needs of the people, respect and learn from each other. If there is only one model and one civilization on the earth, the world will lose its vitality. To "privatize" democracy is a betrayal of the democratic spirit. Countries should support greater democracy and the rule of law in international relations, uphold the UN-centered international system and the international order based on international law. Using democracy as a banner to divide the world into opposing camps, trying to weaponize democracy and use it as a tool to advance its geostrategic agenda, that is advancing hegemony under the disguise of democracy. We call for resistance to anti-democratic and pseudo-democratic practices, jointly maintaining international solidarity and cooperation, and promoting world peace and development.