Chinese President Xi Jinping welcomed global leaders to Beijing’s 2024 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) summit with a heartfelt toast celebrating decades of collaboration. The event, attended by African heads of state and delegates, spotlighted shared goals for modernization and global solidarity.
Decades of Partnership: Xi reflected on China-Africa ties, quoting a classic poem: \"True friends always feel close, no matter the distance.\" He emphasized joint efforts since the mid-20th century to counter colonialism and pursue development, calling their bond \"a stellar example for building a community with a shared future.\"
Infrastructure & Innovation: Since FOCAC’s launch in 2000, projects like railways, schools, and industrial parks have transformed lives across Africa. Xi praised initiatives like the \"nine programs\" from the 2021 Dakar summit and pandemic-era cooperation as milestones in collective progress.
Modernization Goals: With 2.8 billion people in China and Africa united, Xi urged leaders to \"spearhead the modernization drive of the Global South,\" framing it as a blueprint for global equity. His toast concluded with wishes for prosperity, friendship, and summit success.
Decades of Partnership: Xi reflected on China-Africa ties, quoting a classic poem: \"True friends always feel close, no matter the distance.\" He emphasized joint efforts since the mid-20th century to counter colonialism and pursue development, calling their bond \"a stellar example for building a community with a shared future.\"
Infrastructure & Innovation: Since FOCAC’s launch in 2000, projects like railways, schools, and industrial parks have transformed lives across Africa. Xi praised initiatives like the \"nine programs\" from the 2021 Dakar summit and pandemic-era cooperation as milestones in collective progress.
Modernization Goals: With 2.8 billion people in China and Africa united, Xi urged leaders to \"spearhead the modernization drive of the Global South,\" framing it as a blueprint for global equity. His toast concluded with wishes for prosperity, friendship, and summit success.
