Ambassadors Forum China’s Reform and Opening up ＆China-Africa Win-win Cooperation Opens at GDUFS

On the afternoon of October 30th, Ambassadors Forum China’s Reform and Opening up & China-Africa Win-win Cooperation opened at the International Academic Exchange Center on the GDUFS north campus. This year, the forum was hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the PRC and the People’s Government of Guangdong Province, organized by Foreign Affairs Office, the People’s Government and Guangdong Institute of International Strategic Research, co-organized by Department of Education, Department of Commerce and CCPIT of Guangdong Province. It was revealed that in December this year, Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) will first host a summit on the African continent, during which Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend and deliver a speech.

At the meeting

Attendees at the Ambassadors Forum were LIU Zhigeng - Vice Governor of Guangdong Province; LIN Songtian - Head of the Foreign Ministry’s Department of African Affairs; LI Zhenghua - Vice Director of Guangdong Foreign Affairs Office; WU Daowen - Vice Director of Guangdong Development and Reform Commission; YAO Dehong - Member of Guangdong Commission of Economy and Information Technology; ZHENG Huidian - Vice Director of Guangdong Department of Agriculture; REN Shao - Vice Director of Guangdong Department of Commerce; ZHAO Ruiyun - Vice Director of Guangdong SASAC; HONG Weidong - Vice Director of Guangdong Administration of Ocean and Fisheries; ZHANG Zhenlin - Vice Director of Guangdong Tourism Administration; LUO Bingzhi - Vice Director of Guangdong CCPIT, and CHEN Hanxi - Vice Secretary of Guangdong Institute of International Strategic Research. ZHOU Yuxiao, former China’s Ambassador to Zambia and Liberia, presided over the opening ceremony.

LIU Zhigeng Speaking

First of all, LIU Zhigeng said that Guangdong Province is a forerunner of China’s Reform and Opening up, which has enhanced the development of Guangdong Province. In recent years, the new China-Africa strategic partnership has deepened economic and trade cooperation between Guangdong Province and African countries. Currently, Guangdong Province and Africa have a wide developing prospect with the “One Belt One Road” Initiative and the strong complementation between the two sides. Guangdong will provide a good environment for international investment and trade, as well as promote China-Africa cooperation through this Forum.

LIN Songtian Speaking

LIN Songtian pointed out the key to China’s Reform and Opening up and said, Guangdong Province’s economic total amount has become No.1 with the policy. This year, FOCAC, on its 15th year, is set under the background of the Johannesburg Summit. The Summit will focus on African industrial development and regional economic integration, with a hope to further enhance the partnership with Africa.

Charles Madibo Wagidoso, Ambassador of Uganda to China, spoke highly of China’s Reform and Opening up and showed his appreciation to Guangdong Province. He emphasized that China-Africa cooperation will push forward African infrastructural upgrading, since China has made great achievements in infrastructure in recent years. FOCAC was not only a witness to friendship, but also a promotion of economy for both sides.

After the opening ceremony, Papa Khalilou Fall - Senegal’s Ambassador to China; Anani Akuminyi Demuyakor - Ghana’s Ambassador to China; Martin Mpana - Cameroon’s Ambassador to China; Paul Chikawa - Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to China; Gertrude Kasuba Mwape - Zambia’s Ambassador to China; GUO Chongli - former Chinese Ambassador to Jamaica and Kenya, and CHENG Tao - former Chinese Ambassador to Mali and Morocco, each gave their speech on “Industrialization and Security”, “Agricultural Modernization”, “Infrastructure and Environmental Protection”, “China’s Investment to Africa”, “Opportunity of One Belt One Road”, and so on.

Wagidoso speaking

It is reported that a ministerial meeting of FOCAC is held every three years. This year, from December 4th to 5th, the sixth ministerial meeting of the FOCAC will be held in Johannesburg, South Africa. Co-hosted by the Chinese government and South African government, the meeting will be upgraded to a summit, with partnerships for peace and security between China and Africa as key themes. This will be the second China-Africa Summit since the inception of FOCAC 15 years ago, as well as its first summit on the African continent. Meanwhile, it is China’s first time to host an international summit abroad.