China is willing to work with African nations to improve partnership and boost bilateral cooperation for the benefit of both peoples, President Xi Jinping said on Thursday, Dec. 3, during the welcome banquet for leaders who participated in the second summit of the 15-year-old Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).
Xi, who is in his first trip to Africa, said that the land is not only endowed with a long and splendid history but also blessed with a great potential for development.
The Chinese president pointed out that the Chinese and African people have similar historical experiences and share a common aspiration for development as he stressed that both sides have shared responsibility to maintain and strengthen the time-honored friendship.
Xi added that Chinese and the African people both have the need and the resources to expand cooperation for common development since their development strategies are highly compatible.
The leader said China is ready to link up with African countries to make full use of the unique advantages of political mutual trust and economic complementarity in the China-Africa relationship and further expand bilateral win-win cooperation.
The Chinese leader also urged China and Africa to join efforts to turn their friendly ties into fresh impetus for cooperation and development, and transform Africa's rich natural and human resources into greater strength for economic development and more benefits for the people.
South African President Jacob Zuma, who also addressed the leaders, said that the unique partnership of Africa and China and the FOCAC summit will lift bilateral relations to a higher level.
Zuma also called on participating leaders to strive to ensure the success of the event and consolidate the foundation for further deepening of Africa-China cooperation.
South Africa is the last leg of Xi's ongoing three-nation tour, which started in Paris where President Xi attended the opening ceremony of a highly anticipated U.N. climate change conference, and Zimbabwe for his first state visit to the all-weather friendly country.