Changsha, China
China and representatives from 53 African nations, along with the African Union Commission, convened in Changsha this week for a high-level ministerial meeting to accelerate the implementation of outcomes from the 2023 FOCAC Beijing Summit.
Hosted in central China’s Hunan Province, the meeting was co-chaired by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Congolese counterpart Jean-Claude Gakosso. Both read letters of support from their respective heads of state, underscoring the deepening strategic partnership and the vision of a “China-Africa community with a shared future.”
President Xi Jinping’s message reaffirmed China’s commitment to opening up and development collaboration across Africa. Wang Yi emphasized that China and Africa, as leading voices in the Global South, must champion self-reliance, uphold multilateralism, and foster resilient South-South cooperation amidst global volatility.
The meeting reviewed the progress of the 10 Partnership Actions for Modernization introduced at last year’s summit, covering areas like trade, green development, digital economy, and industrial capacity building. Wang highlighted that China-Africa ties are at a historic high, with the relationship playing a pivotal role in reshaping global development dynamics.
Minister Gakosso reiterated Africa’s endorsement of the China-Africa Cooperation Vision 2035, voicing opposition to unilateral sanctions and tariff barriers. He reaffirmed Africa’s solidarity with China on key geopolitical and economic issues.
The session concluded with the adoption of the Changsha Declaration, a joint statement reinforcing the strategic alliance between China and Africa, and their unified role in defending the interests of the Global South.