At 8pm Beijing time on June 17, China President Xi Jinping presided over a China-Africa Special Summit. Facing the worst global public health emergencies since the end of the Second World War, Chinese and foreign leaders crossed different time zones and gathered together through video to discuss plans for solidarity and fight against epidemic disease, and narrate Sino-African brotherhood.
Which AU leaders attended this special summit?
- The China-Africa Solidarity Anti-epidemic Summit was jointly initiated by China and the African Union’s rotating chairmanship, South Africa, and China-Africa Cooperation Forum’s co-chairman, Senegal.
- The African Union is short for the African Union and currently has 55 member states. On the evening of the same day, Chairman of the African Union Commission Faki was also invited to attend the special summit.
- The China-Africa Cooperation Forum was established in 2000 and currently has 55 members from China, 53 African countries that have established diplomatic relations with China, and the AU Commission. .
- Leaders of African countries such as the member states of the African Union Summit Bureau and the rotating presidency of important subregional organizations in Africa also attended the special summit that evening.
- That evening, UN Secretary General Guterres and WHO Director General Tan Desai served as special guests at the Paralympic Conference.
Unity! Unity! Still united!
- That night, President Xi Jinping delivered a keynote speech titled “Unite in Fighting against Epidemic Diseases and Overcoming Difficulties”. President Xi said that at the most difficult time for China to fight the epidemic, Africa has sent precious support, and we have to bear in mind. After the outbreak of the African epidemic, China took the lead in supporting it and stood firmly with the African people. He reiterated that no matter how the international situation changes, China’s determination to strengthen China-Africa solidarity and cooperation will never be shaken.
- Since the outbreak, President Xi Jinping has made five phone calls with leaders of four African countries including Ethiopia, Egypt, Namibia, and South Africa. “Unity” is a high-frequency word.
- At this special summit, China and Africa issued a united voice. President Xi Jinping said that unity and cooperation are the most powerful weapons to fight the epidemic. We are opposed to politicizing the epidemic and labeling the virus, opposing racial discrimination and ideological prejudice, and firmly defending international fairness and justice.
- The brothers are concentric and their profits are broken. As President Xi said at the summit, in the face of the epidemic, China and Africa are more united, and friendship and mutual trust are more consolidated.
Cooperation! Cooperation! Still cooperate!
- At present, both China and Africa are faced with the arduous task of fighting the epidemic, stabilizing the economy and protecting people’s livelihood. President Xi pointed out at the summit that in order to overcome the impact of the epidemic, we must strengthen the cooperation in building the “Belt and Road”, accelerate the implementation of the outcome of the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, and focus our cooperation on health and hygiene, resumption of production and improvement of people’s livelihood. The field leans.
- Since the outbreak, President Xi has always cared about the African people. President Xi said that the public health system in developing countries, especially in Africa, is weak, and helping them build a line of defense is the top priority of the international fight against epidemics. African countries should be provided with more material, technical and human support.
- Regarding the China-Africa Special Summit held by this joint initiative, President Xi said that it is practical to implement the Beijing Summit commitments and also contribute to international cooperation in the fight against epidemics.
action! action! Still act!
- The special summit held in a special period is to rush to solve the problems that are urgently needed to be solved, and it is to call on the international community to take action and outperform the epidemic.
- President Xi said in his keynote speech that China will continue to fully support African anti-epidemic actions, continue to provide material assistance to African countries, send medical expert groups, and assist African parties to purchase anti-epidemic materials in China. He also announced that China will start construction of the headquarters of the African Center for Disease Control and Prevention earlier this year.
- At the special summit on the 17th, President Xi stated that China will work with G20 members to implement the G20 debt relief initiative and called on the G20 to further extend its Debt relief period of relevant countries including countries.
- President Xi also promised at the special summit that after the new crown vaccine was developed and put into use, he would be the first to benefit African countries.