China-South Sudan Strategic Partnership: A Shared Pursuit of Modernization Dreams
(by H.E. MA Qiang, Chinese Ambassador to South Sudan)
In the golden season, the bountiful scenery is painted with the joy of harvest. From September 4 to 6, 2024, the Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) was grandly held in Beijing. Chinese President H.E. Xi Jinping attended the opening ceremony and delivered a keynote speech. H.E. Salva Kiir Mayardit, President of the Republic of South Sudan, along with leaders of all 53 African countries with diplomatic ties to China and the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, attended the summit. The Secretary General of the United Nations, as well as representatives from over 30 international and African regional organizations, were also present. After six years, the big China-Africa family reunited in Beijing to renew friendships, discuss the future cooperation, and chart a new blueprint for the development of China-Africa relations, writing a new chapter of solidarity and cooperation for the “Global South.”
During the Summit, leaders from China and Africa reviewed the progress and achievements of FOCAC under the theme “Joining Hands to Advance Modernization and Build a High-Level China-Africa Community with a Shared Future.” They spoke highly of the implementation of the outcomes for the previous FOCAC meetings and reached a clear political consensus on further enhancing comprehensive cooperation between China and Africa. Both sides agreed to elevate the overall characterization of China-Africa relations to an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era. The Summit also adopted the “Beijing Declaration” and the “Action Plan” to strengthen China-Africa cooperation over the next three years. President Xi Jinping announced that, in the next three years, China will work with Africa to take the following ten partnership actions for modernization.
- First, the Partnership Action for Mutual Learning among Civilizations. China is ready to work with Africa to build a platform for governance experience sharing and a China-Africa knowledge network for development. We will invite African political parties to China to deepen exchanges of experience.
- Second, the Partnership Action for Trade Prosperity. China will unilaterally open its market wider. We have decided to give Africa’s all least developed countries, including South Sudan, zero-tariff treatment for 100 percent tariff lines. It will help turn China’s big market into Africa’s big opportunity.
- Third, the Partnership Action for Industrial Chain Cooperation. China will push forward the Pilot Zone for In-depth China-Africa Economic and Trade Cooperation, launch an “African SMEs empowerment program,” and build with Africa a digital technology cooperation center.
- Fourth, the Partnership Action for Connectivity. China is prepared to put in place a China-Africa network featuring land-sea links and coordinated development for the benefit of trans-regional development in Africa.
- Fifth, the Partnership Action for Development Cooperation. China is ready to implement more “small and beautiful” livelihood projects in Africa to deliver more fruits of development to the African people.
- Sixth, the Partnership Action for Health. China is ready to establish joint medical centers with Africa, send 2,000 medical personnel to Africa, and support the development of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- Seventh, the Partnership Action for Agriculture and Livelihoods. China will provide Africa with emergency food assistance, build standardized agriculture demonstration areas, and create more jobs for Africa.
- Eighth, the Partnership Action for People-to-People Exchanges. China will further implement the “Future of Africa—Vocational Education Cooperation Plan” with Africa, and provide more training opportunities to Africa. The two sides have agreed to designate 2026 as the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges.
- Ninth, the Partnership Action for Green Development. China is ready to launch clean energy projects in Africa, establish joint laboratories, and collaborate on satellite remote sensing and lunar and deep-space exploration.
- Tenth, the Partnership Action for Common Security. China is ready to build a partnership for implementing the Global Security Initiative (GSI) with Africa, and make it a fine example of GSI cooperation. We will provide training for military personnel and police officers from Africa.
As an ancient Chinese saying goes, “A partnership forged with the right approach defies geographical distance.” This FOCAC Summit has sent a powerful message of China and Africa pursuing development together and demonstrated the Global South’s unwavering confidence in unity and cooperation. The FOCAC Summit Week has highlighted the Global South moment in our joint effort to build a community with a shared future for mankind.
FOCAC & CHINA-AFRICA SOLIDARITY AND COOPERATION
Looking back at the history, China and Africa have steadfastly supported each other in their struggles against imperialism and colonialism and in their fight for national liberation, forging an unbreakable brotherhood. With a distinct emphasis on independence and sovereignty, we have formed a common language of solidarity, cooperation, and joint strength. During the Bandung Conference in Indonesia in 1955, the leaders of China and Africa crossed mountains and seas to shake hands for the first time, marking a new phase of unity and strength for both sides. In the 1980s and 1990s, as China deepened its reform and opening-up, China-Africa investment and trade cooperation grew significantly, continuously injecting strong momentum into the development of China-Africa relations.
In the year 2000, the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) was established, leading China-Africa friendship and cooperation to achieve leapfrog development. Over the past 24 years, high-level interactions between China and Africa have become increasingly frequent, the political mutual trust has been deepening, and the China-Africa relationship has continuously advanced to new heights. China’s proposal of building a community with a shared future for mankind, along with the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative, has received widespread recognition and active support from Africa. Both sides have consistently, and will continue to, join hands in defending the common interests of developing countries and promoting a more just and equitable international governance system. Pragmatic cooperation between China and Africa has also yielded fruitful results, with trade volume growing from US$10.5 billion in 2000 to US$282.1 billion in 2023, an increase of nearly 26 times. China’s stock of investments in Africa has grown from less than US$500 million in 2000 to over US$40 billion today. Over the years, China-Africa cooperation has contributed to Africa’s economic and social development, helped African countries break free from the lower end of the value chain and move up, transform their dependent development models, and accelerate their modernization process. Exchanges in tourism, culture, youth, and media between China and Africa have blossomed, further solidifying the foundation of our friendship. As 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, we will further write a new chapter in the joint efforts of over 2.8 billion people in China and Africa to face the profound changes of the century, move forward side by side, and work hand in hand to build a community with a shared future for mankind.
FOCAC & SOUTH SUDAN
South Sudan is an important member of the FOCAC. Following his attendance at the FOCAC Summit in China in 2018, President Salva Kiir Mayardit attended again the Summit this September, sending a positive signal of South Sudan’s deep commitment to China-Africa cooperation and its dedication to the country’s prosperity and development. As the Chinese Ambassador to South Sudan, I had the honor of accompanying President Salva Kiir Mayardit throughout his visit to China. President Xi Jinping held a bilateral meeting with President Salva Kiir Mayardit, where the two Heads of State jointly announced the elevation of China-South Sudan relations to a Strategic Partnership and reached important consensus on deepening cooperation between the two countries.
In recent years, China has actively responded to the appeal from President Salva Kiir Mayardit to “scale back humanitarian programming and devote more energies to development support.” Under the FOCAC framework, China has provided South Sudan with grant assistance to build important infrastructure such as the China-aided projects of Juba Teaching Hospital (Phase I), Broadcasting Facilities of SSBC, and Clement Mboro Bridge in Wau. Additionally, China has worked with South Sudan to implement a number of key projects, including the China-aided Project of Technical Cooperation of Education (Phase II) and the Air Traffic Management System. China is also steadily advancing other development-oriented and livelihood-improving projects, such as the China-aided projects of Juba Teaching Hospital (Phase II), Borehole Drilling and Water Supply, and Juncao (Mushroom) Technology. Furthermore, China actively provides capacity-building training to South Sudan in areas such as governance, agricultural development, poverty reduction, and healthcare, while also offering various scholarships to South Sudanese students. Pragmatic cooperation between China and South Sudan has brought tangible benefits to the South Sudanese people. For example, since the launch of the China-aided Project of Technical Cooperation of Education (2 phases) in 2017, the project has not only played a positive role in fostering China-South Sudan friendship and enhancing cultural exchange but also benefited approximately 150,000 South Sudanese teachers and students. The Chinese Language Learning Center has also attracted an increasing number of South Sudanese friends eager to learn Chinese. One local teacher in his 60s, for instance, walked four hours daily to attend Chinese classes without missing a single lesson. Some young South Sudanese have found jobs through learning Chinese and improved their living conditions.
JOINTLY WRITING A NEW CHAPTER IN CHINA-AFRICA COOPERATION
The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China convened this July laid out a strategic blueprint for further deepening reform and advancing the great cause of building a great modern socialist country in all respects and pursuing national rejuvenation through a Chinese path to modernization. Meanwhile, the African people are moving at an accelerated speed toward the bright prospects envisioned in African Union’s Agenda 2063, and making all-out efforts to build a new Africa that enjoys peace, unity, prosperity and strength.
The blueprint has been drawn, and the call to action has been sounded—the new journey of China and South Sudan joining hands to realize the modernization dreams is now before us. As President Xi Jinping emphasized, mutual respect and sincere cooperation form the foundation of China-South Sudan relations, and working together for common development is the future of bilateral relations. Building a rich and dynamic China-South Sudan relationship meets the common expectations and long-term interests of the two peoples. China is willing to share development experience and opportunities with South Sudan, continue to implement the Project of Technical Cooperation of Education and other projects, strengthen cooperation in fields such as petroleum, mining, and agriculture, and help South Sudan’s economic diversification.
Looking forward, China is ready to work with South Sudan to implement various outcomes of the FOCAC Beijing Summit and push for more in-depth solid bilateral cooperation. Together, we will advance the cause of modernization, build a high-level China-Africa community with a shared future, benefit the peoples of both sides, and strengthen the “power of the Global South” through the solidarity and cooperation of developing countries to create a brighter future for humanity!
