China-aided Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) headquarters project is completed in the southern suburb of Addis Ababa, capital of Ethiopia on Jan. 11, 2023. (PHOTO: XINHUA)

By WANG Xiaoxia

China is the largest developing country in the world, and Africa is the continent with the largest number of developing countries. Shared experiences and similar goals have long brought China and Africa closer together.

In the fight for national liberation and independence, China and African countries supported each other and expanded mutual trust. Although today's world is full of uncertainties, China and Africa remain committed to pursuing win -win cooperation amid geopolitical tensions and a global economic slowdown.

At the FOCAC Beijing Summit held in September 2018, the two sides agreed to build an even stronger China-Africa community of shared future and lead China -Africa relations and cooperation into a new era. The principles of sincerity, real results, amity and good faith and the principles of pursuing the greater good and shared interests epitomize China's policy to Africa.

China has always been sincere about cooperation in Africa from the perspective of helping to resolve setbacks in development, for example, constructing and upgrading infrastructure. China-Africa cooperation is pragmatic, said Peter Kagwanja, chief executive at the Africa Policy Institute in Kenya.

At the end of 2022, three new infrastructure projects were completed in Africa, including a port, hydropower plant and railway, which exemplify China-African pragmatic cooperation in the field of infrastructure construction.

With the help of China, Africa has seen growing inter-connectivity and more convenient inter-nation trade, facilitating rational flow and allocation of resources and production factors on the continent, said Kagwanja.

More real results were yielded with the deepening of pragmatic cooperation in multiple areas, including agriculture, finance and people-to-people exchanges. For example, China's agricultural technology has helped African countries improve crop yields and agricultural modernization.

China-Africa amity is reflected by African people's recognition of China. A recent YouGov survey showed that people in African countries have seen a significant increase in their favorable opinion of China, with the overwhelming majority of respondents in Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa and Egypt acknowledging that China has a positive impact on international affairs.

Raphael Tuju, former General Secretary of Kenya's Jubilee Party, said China has always been a reliable friend of African countries, and an important spokesperson for the interests of less developed countries.

The development of China and African countries is also of great significance for global sustainable development. They will jointly promote high-quality cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, and implement the Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative. China is helping African countries realize the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, along with the AU 2063 Agenda, so as to benefit all people in the international community.