CCTV: The FOCAC Beijing Summit was concluded today. Can you further brief us on the event and its outcomes?

Mao Ning: Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi together with foreign ministers of the current and upcoming co-chairs of FOCAC met the press yesterday and elaborated on the Beijing Summit of FOCAC and its outcomes. Foreign Minister Wang Yi noted it is yet another friendly gathering of the big China-Africa family in Beijing after six years, and the event is of great significance and influence. President Xi Jinping attended the opening ceremony of the Beijing Summit of FOCAC and delivered a keynote speech. The clear political consensus of enhancing all-round cooperation between China and Africa was reached by the two sides and the Summit was a great success.

China has established strategic partnership with all African countries having diplomatic ties with China. During the Summit, China forged or elevated strategic partnership with 30 countries. The overall characterization of China-Africa relations has been elevated to an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era. The decision determined a clearer characterization for and added more dimensions to the relations. China and Africa affirmed that the two sides should jointly advance modernization characterized by six features and formulated the blueprint for future cooperation. The Summit adopted the Beijing Declaration and the Beijing Action Plan. President Xi Jinping announced 10 partnership actions for China and Africa to advance modernization in the next three years. 

China and Africa compared notes on strategies regarding international situation and global governance. The two sides agreed to firmly support each other on issues bearing on each other’s core interests, jointly practice true multilateralism, implement the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative, advocate an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally-beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, break “small yard with high fences”, reject discrimination and bias, correct historical injustice, and bring the benefit of modernization to all people.

The Summit sends a strong message of China and Africa seeking common development, demonstrates the firm determination of the Global South working together in solidarity, and sets the Global South as a stellar example in jointly building a community with a shared future for mankind.

AFP: The US Commerce Department announced yesterday tighter export controls on quantum computing, semiconductor manufacturing, and other technologies, citing “national security” considerations. What is China’s comment?

Mao Ning: China is opposed to the US turning trade and tech issues into political issues and weapons. Obstructing normal cooperation on tech and trade and economic exchange violates the principle of market economy, destabilizes global industrial and supply chains and serves no one’s interest.

China News Service: Four Chinese irrigation projects were included in the 11th batch of World Heritage Irrigation Structures (WHIS 2024) unveiled days ago. The inclusion of the Karez Wells in Turpan, Xinjiang, the ancient Weirs consisting of the Huizhou Weirs in Anhui and the Wuyuan Weirs in Jiangxi (joint application), the Fengyan Terraces in Hanyin, Shaanxi, and the Jufeng Weirs in Xiushan, Chongqing, brought the total number of Chinese irrigation sites on the list to 38. China’s time-honored water conservancy meets people’s needs in their life and production activities, and is significant globally. What’s your comments?

Mao Ning: Congratulations on the inclusion of these four projects in the World Heritage Irrigation Structures. China has an age-old tradition of water governance and well-known water conservancy projects such as the Dujiangyan irrigation system, the Karez Wells and the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal. Since New China was founded, China’s water conservancy has borne fruitful results, lent stronger support to socioeconomic development and people’s better life, and more importantly, provided valuable experience for the global response to water challenges.

As you may all follow the Beijing Summit of the FOCAC closely these days, water conservancy cooperation is also part and parcel of China-Africa cooperation. As climate change worsens, Africa urgently needs to enhance its capacity-building in using, managing and governing water resources. China has deepened water conservancy cooperation with African countries and actively shared with them China’s experience and practical know-how through capacity-building, joint research and project cooperation. Chinese companies have helped run a good number of signature programs and “small and beautiful” projects of water supply, flood control, irrigation and hydropower station in Africa, and offered China’s solution to Africa’s integrated management and sustainable use of water resources. Going forward, China will continue working with African countries and other parties to enhance international cooperation and promote the sustainable use of global water resources.

Reuters: Yesterday, Chinese leader pledged to support infrastructure projects in Africa. And we’re just trying to understand should that be interpreted as a renewed signal for support of big-ticket infrastructure? And how does that square with the emphasis on “small and beautiful projects” that you just referred to?

Mao Ning: I don’t see any contradiction between the two. The cooperation between China and African countries is carried out under the principle of mutual respect and mutual benefit, and what projects to be implemented will be determined by the two sides through discussion.