President Cyril Ramaphosa has welcomed the proposal by Chinese President Xi Jinping to elevate China's bilateral relations with African countries which have diplomatic ties with China, to the level of strategic relations.
President Xi said that the overall characterisation of China-Africa relations should be elevated to an "all-weather China-Africa community" with a shared future for the new era.
Addressing the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Summit in Beijing, China, President Ramaphosa said FOCAC can play an important role, as Africa works to build an integrated network of linkages between countries, within regions and across the continent.
"If we are to realise a sustainable future for Africa and China - and indeed the entire world - we must acknowledge the reality of the interdependence among our community of nations.
"If we are to build a future that is people-centred, development-orientated and inclusive, we need to work in a spirit of cooperation and collaboration," the President said.
He said the fourth FOCAC Summit reflects the cooperative, comprehensive and intentional nature of the cooperation between Africa and China.
"This Summit reflects our shared desire for modernisation, development and progress on the African continent. We believe that this shared desire is reflected in the 10 partnership actions on modernisation to be taken by China and Africa, as announced by President Xi.
"Through the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area, the economies of Africa are being drawn closer together. We are pursuing projects that reach across national borders.
"We believe that FOCAC can play an important role, as Africa works to build an integrated network of linkages between countries, within regions and across the continent," the President said.
President Ramaphosa said FOCAC is a valuable forum to support the implementation of the African Union's Agenda 2063.
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"In the name of our common humanity, we must work together to achieve the Africa we want. And we must work together to achieve the world we want," the President said.
China has a long history of friendship and solidarity with the people of Africa.
"Since this relationship was institutionalised through FOCAC in 2000, ties between China and Africa have continued to grow and deepen. We meet today when the world is experiencing many challenges. War and conflict continue to cause great human suffering and instability in a number of places across the world.
"Climate change is causing widespread devastation. The world is falling behind in its efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. The global contestation for critical minerals is fuelling geopolitical rivalry," the President said.
He said these challenges affect all nations, but are often most severely felt in Africa.
"Yet, amid these challenges, there is hope and opportunity. We are driven by a desire to achieve shared prosperity while recognising our individual developmental aspirations," the President said.
