NEW: China committed to good relations with Africa

Tanyaradzwa Rusike in JINHUA

China is committed to strengthening its bilateral relations with all African nations with which it shares diplomatic ties, focusing on collaboration and mutual development.

This was said by Zhejiang Normal University vice president Professor Genfu Zhang during the opening ceremony of Seminar for Omni-media journalists from English-speaking African countries in Jinhua, China on Thursday.

The seminar, which started on October 31 and is running until November 12, has brought together 30 journalists from – Zimbabwe, South Africa, Zambia, Kenya, Gambia, Benin, Ghana, Botswana and Nigeria.

Journalists will experience the operations at various Chinese media houses, technology firms and corporates that underwrite China’s economic growth.

“In recent years, Jinhua City has thoroughly implemented the spirit of President Xi Jinping’s important exposition on jointly building a high-level China-Africa community with a shared future,” said Professor Zhang.

“In September of this year, the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China- Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) was successfully held.

“President Xi Jinping announced that China has upgraded bilateral relations with all African countries, and it has established diplomatic ties to the level of strategic relations.”

Professor Zhang said Jinhua will host the 2024 China-Africa Economic, Trade, and Cultural Forum this month.

“This forum is one of the important supporting activities under the framework of FOCAC and is held annually,” he said.

“Diplomatic envoys of African countries in China will also attend the forum.

“During the forum, we will also organize the “China-Africa Cooperation: Ambassador’s Voice” event, where African ambassadors to China who are participating in the forum will be interviewed by the media.”