Reference News Network, September 13 report: Spain's "El País" daily website published an article titled "China's 25-Year Commitment to Africa" on September 10, authored by Pedro Balagán. The following is a translated excerpt:

The China-Africa Cooperation Forum (CACF) marks its 25th anniversary, a mechanism that has transformed the relationship between China and African countries. China supported the African national liberation movement, providing technical and financial aid to African countries. In 2000, the China-Africa Cooperation Forum was formally established, becoming one of the pillars of China's commitment to Africa.

Today, the Belt and Road Initiative has become another important component of Sino-African relations. Through the construction of infrastructure in Africa, China helps the African continent achieve connectivity, making Africa not only closely connected internally but also with other parts of the world.

The International Monetary Fund recently released a report titled "Sino-African Relations: Building Deeper and Broader Links," which states that cooperation with China is crucial for Africa's development, supporting economic growth and structural improvements in key areas.

Improving Agricultural Production Levels

China has built large-scale infrastructure such as roads, ports, and railways in Africa, but it goes beyond just infrastructure. China's support for agricultural modernization in Africa has enabled local communities to largely address food shortages. China has established agricultural technology demonstration centers in many African countries, helping them improve agricultural production levels. Additionally, China is building facilities that support agricultural development, such as irrigation systems, warehouses, and rural electrification projects.

Through these measures, China helps African countries enhance their food self-sufficiency capabilities, thereby reducing dependence on imported food and strengthening political and social stability in Africa.

Promoting Educational Environmental Improvements

China has also made significant contributions to the development of education in Africa. With China's assistance, many African countries have been able to build schools and technical training centers in resource-limited areas, thus increasing the rate of educational access. China is also a key driver in the construction of technical and vocational training institutions in Africa, enabling African youth to receive training in key areas of African industrialization, such as construction, manufacturing, and information technology.

Considering that developing education in Africa requires not only infrastructure but also qualified and trained teachers, China provides convenience for African teachers to participate in training programs in their own countries as well as in China. These programs enable African teachers to improve their teaching skills. China also collaborates with African universities on joint research projects in fields such as agriculture, energy, and technology.

Rapid Development of Trade and Investment

Sino-African trade has grown exponentially. In 2000, the total value of Sino-African trade was only 10.6 billion U.S. dollars. By 2024, this figure had reached 295.6 billion U.S. dollars. China has maintained its position as the largest trading partner of Africa for 16 consecutive years.

In addition to the increase in trade volume, China has opened its market to African agricultural products and simplified inspection and quarantine procedures. China implements a 100% tariff-free policy for 100% of product categories for 53 African countries with which it has diplomatic relations, allowing Africa to benefit from the vast Chinese market and promote the development of its agricultural sector.

Since the establishment of the China-Africa Cooperation Forum, Africa has become an important destination for China's foreign direct investment. Initially, Chinese investments were concentrated in the construction and mining sectors, but later gradually expanded to high-value-added sectors such as manufacturing, industrial parks, green growth, and digitalization. This shift is crucial for African industrialization, economic diversification, and job creation.

Continuously Expanding Areas of Cooperation

In recent years, the China-Africa Cooperation Forum has prioritized emerging fields such as green growth and digitalization.

In the environmental field, China supports Africa's transition to a low-carbon model, helping to build renewable energy projects such as solar, wind, hydropower, and geothermal energy, and conducting personnel training in green economy and environmental management. Sino-African cooperation has also expanded to areas such as marine environmental protection, desertification control, and climate risk governance.

In the digital field, China helps Africa develop technological infrastructure, expand mobile broadband access, promote 5G technology, and build data centers. China also promotes the application of technologies such as e-commerce, mobile payments, and artificial intelligence, helping Africa bridge the digital divide.

Sharing Experiences in Poverty Alleviation

Despite some development, poverty remains a serious issue in Africa. China's experience in eradicating poverty has provided a direction for Africa's development. China has organized a series of meetings and training sessions to share poverty alleviation experiences.

Additionally, China promotes agricultural technologies such as mushrooms and hybrid rice, which have increased agricultural productivity and farmers' income in Africa. At the same time, cooperation in areas such as infrastructure, health, education, and climate change has effectively assisted Africa in its poverty reduction efforts. (Translated by Wang Meng)

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7549398170720043574/

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