The foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said yesterday that Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) on September 5 in Beijing and give a keynote address.
Hua stated that Xi will hold a welcome banquet and bilateral events for the leaders of the African members of the FOCAC as well as representatives of pertinent international and regional organizations from Africa during the summit.
The FOCAC 2024 Summit, with the theme “Joining Hands to Advance Modernization and Build a High-Level China-Africa Community with a Shared Future,” will take place from September 4–6.
“The next summit is another joyous reunion of the friendly family of China and Africa, following the 2006 FOCAC Beijing Summit, the 2015 FOCAC Johannesburg Summit, and the 2018 FOCAC Beijing Summit.Vice Foreign Minister Chen Xiaodong stated at a press conference yesterday that it is also the biggest diplomatic gathering that China has hosted in recent memory and that the majority of world leaders are in attendance.
According to Chen, there will be delegations from several African leaders attending the summit, including the head of the African Union Commission. The UN secretary-general will also be attending as a special guest, and important international and regional organizations will be represented as observers.
Chen reports that this year’s summit will include four high-level sessions on state governance, industry and agricultural modernization, peace and security, and excellent collaboration along the Belt and Road, in addition to a welcome luncheon and opening ceremony. The seventh China-Africa entrepreneurs’ conference and other relevant events are also on the summit’s itinerary.
President Xi will discuss fresh concepts and ideas for creating a high-level community with a shared future between China and Africa in his keynote address, according to Chen. He will also unveil new initiatives and steps for real-world collaboration with Africa.
He continued by saying that in order to forge a strong agreement between the two parties and lay out a blueprint for executing excellent China-Africa cooperation over the following three years, the summit would also adopt two result documents, a statement and an action plan.
Since the organization’s founding 24 years ago, Chen pointed out, FOCAC has consistently upheld the ideals of thorough consultation, cooperative contribution, and shared benefits—especially in the contemporary period.He continued, “FOCAC has seen incredible successes and has emerged as a prominent symbol of China-Africa cooperation as well as a great example for advancing international cooperation with Africa and strengthening GlobalSouth cooperation.”
Chen stated that the two sides will come to a wide accord at this year’s summit to address issues and establish a forum for exchanging development possibilities.
He stated that China will view this summit as a critical chance to work with Africa to embark on a new modernization path, to strengthen the China-African community with a shared future, to write a new chapter in the friendship between the Chinese and African people, and to create significant momentum for the advancement of global modernization.