On August 23, 2024, the Ministry of Foreign  Affairs held a briefing for Chinese and foreign media on President Xi  Jinping's attendance at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summit of the  Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) and related events. Vice  Foreign Minister Chen Xiaodong briefed on that and answered questions  from the journalists.

Chen Xiaodong  said, the 2024 Summit of the FOCAC will be held in Beijing from  September 4 to 6. The leaders of China and Africa will gather around the  theme "Joining Hands to Advance Modernization and Build a High-Level  China-Africa Community with a Shared Future" to celebrate friendship and  chart the way forward for cooperation. This marks another grand reunion  of the China-Africa big family following the 2006 Beijing Summit, the  2015 Johannesburg Summit, and the 2018 Beijing Summit of the FOCAC. It  is also the largest diplomatic event China has hosted in recent years,  with the highest attendance of foreign leaders. Leaders of many African  countries and the Chairperson of the African Union Commission will lead  delegations to participate in the Summit. The UN Secretary-General will  be a special guest and relevant international and regional organizations  will also attend the Summit as observers. 

Chen  Xiaodong said that the Summit will hold a welcoming banquet, opening  ceremony, four high-level meetings on the topics of state governance,  industrialization and agricultural modernization, peace and security,  high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, as well as the eighth Conference  of Chinese and African Entrepreneurs and other related activities.  President Xi Jinping will deliver an important keynote speech to  elaborate on the new ideas and propositions on building a high-level  community with a shared future between China and Africa, and announce  new actions and measures for practical cooperation with Africa.  President Xi Jinping will also hold related bilateral activities for  foreign leaders attending the Summit. The Summit will also adopt two  outcome documents, the Declaration and the Action Plan, to build major  consensus between the two sides and chart a path for implementing  high-quality China-Africa cooperation in the next three years.

Chen  Xiaodong pointed out that over the 24 years since the establishment of  the FOCAC, particularly in the new era, the Forum has always adhered to  the principles of planning together, building together, and benefiting  together. The development of the Forum has been remarkable, making it a  "golden brand" of China-Africa cooperation and a banner for leading  international cooperation with Africa and for deepening Global South  cooperation. Under the joint concern and contribution of President Xi  Jinping and African leaders, China and Africa have focused on friendly  cooperation, steadily advancing the development of the Forum and the  implementation of its outcomes, propelling China-Africa relations to  make great strides forward and achieve leapfrog development.

First, the building of a China-Africa  community with a shared future is advancing to a higher level. President  Xi Jinping attaches great importance to China-Africa relations, and  during his first overseas visit as state president in 2013, he visited  Africa, where he proposed the principle of sincerity, real results,  amity and good faith and the principle of pursuing the greater good and  shared interests. He pointed out that China and Africa have always been a  community with a shared future. President Xi Jinping has visited Africa  five times, attended two FOCAC summits, and chaired the Extraordinary  China-Africa Summit on Solidarity Against COVID-19 and the China-Africa  Leaders' Dialogue. He summarized the spirit of China-Africa friendship  and cooperation and in person charted the course for the development of  China-Africa relations in the new era. Under the guidance of  head-of-state diplomacy, China-Africa relations have entered a new phase  of building a high-level China-Africa community with a shared future.  The building of a China-Africa community with a shared future continues  to be at the forefront of building a community with a shared future for  mankind.

Second, mutually beneficial  cooperation between China and Africa is advancing toward higher-quality  development. President Xi Jinping pointed out that on the path to  modernization, China has all along been a firm supporter, and walking  side by side with Africa. Both sides have synergized the Belt and Road  Initiative and the Global Development Initiative with the African  Union's Agenda 2063 and the development strategies of African countries.  Based on the platform of the FOCAC, China and African nations have  jointly implemented the ten cooperation plans, eight major initiatives,  and nine programs, to continuously improve and upgrade China-Africa  cooperation. China is the largest developing country investor in Africa  and has remained Africa's largest trading partner for 15 consecutive  years, demonstrating the strong resilience and vitality of China-Africa  cooperation.

Third, the strategic  coordination between China and Africa is advancing to deeper levels.  President Xi Jinping emphasized that no matter how the international  landscape may evolve, China shall never waver in its determination to  pursue greater solidarity and cooperation with Africa. China and Africa,  adhering to the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, continue to  deepen strategic mutual trust and consistently support each other on  issues concerning their core interests. Both sides jointly advocate for  an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and  inclusive economic globalization, jointly promote and implement the  three global initiatives, safeguard international fairness and justice,  and enhance the global governance system. China and Africa have become a  model of solidarity and cooperation for the "Global South".

Fourth,  China-Africa people-to-people and cultural exchanges are expanding into  broader areas. President Xi Jinping pointed out that the peoples of  China and Africa are destined to be good friends. In recent years, civil  exchanges between China and Africa have been active and frequent, with a  variety of cultural exchange activities such as the China-Africa Youth  Gala. The "Shared Space China-Africa Dreams" exhibition in China's  Tian'gong space station displays the paintings carrying the dreams of  African youth. Chinese and African scholars jointly proposed the  "China-Africa Dar es Salaam Consensus" at the China-Africa Think Tanks  Forum, which offered solutions, ideas and proposals to address major  issues and challenges facing today's world, reflecting the shared  aspirations of the "Global South".

Chen Xiaodong said, the Third Plenary  Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China  made strategic plans for further deepening reform comprehensively to  advance Chinese modernization, which will bring more opportunities and  hopes to countries in the world, including Africa. This Summit will pool  extensive consensus for the two sides to meet challenges and build a  broad platform for sharing development opportunities. China is ready to  seize this important opportunity with Africa to embark on a new journey  toward modernization together, further elevate the building of a  China-Africa community with a shared future to new heights, and continue  writing a new chapter in the mutual understanding, affinity and  friendship between the people of China and Africa. Together, they will  send a powerful message of Africa and China taking part in and leading  the reform of the global governance system, so as to gather strong  momentum to advancing world modernization.

Chen Xiaodong also answered questions on the development of the FOCAC and the high-level meetings, among others.