The ongoing visit of Foreign Minister Qin Gang to Ethiopia, Gabon, Angola, Benin, Egypt, the African Union headquarters and the League of Arab States headquarters from Monday to Jan 16 represents the 33rd consecutive year that Africa has been the destination for the Chinese foreign ministers' first overseas trip of the year.
This diplomatic tradition fully demonstrates the unbreakable and sincere friendship between China and Africa. No matter how the international situation changes, China's endeavor to strengthen ties with African countries remains unchanged.
Qin's visit, judging from its length and scope, is set to deepen the China-Africa comprehensive strategic partnership in an all-round manner. The cooperation between the two sides does not target any third party, and China and Africa welcome all major players on the world stage, including the United States, to work with them to promote the common development of Africa.
But Qin, who was previously the Chinese ambassador to the US, will be well aware that Washington is attempting to sow the seeds of discord between African countries and China, and that the continent has never been a priority in the US' diplomacy.
It is China's rise that has provided African countries with opportunities to secure positions in the global industry and supply chains by making the most of their comparative advantages of labor costs and resources. Sino-African cooperation brings about win-win results, and all of China's cooperation projects with African countries are aimed at resolving the structural issues hindering their development. These range from improving infrastructure to enhancing the quality of the labor force. Rather than short-term speculative interests, these projects invariably focus on long-term mutual benefits and improving people's livelihoods. It is the uncertainty of returns on investment and the long period of delay before any are forthcoming that has deterred most Western investors from making Africa part of their business plans, as they care more about quick money instead of the needs of the African people.
In the congratulatory message on the 20th anniversary of its founding that he sent to the African Union on Sept 9 last year, President Xi Jinping called for continuously upgrading Sino-African cooperation in the fields of public health, food security, digital and green economy, aerospace and cross-regional infrastructure construction. By helping to usher in a new development stage for African countries, China is also making contributions to address the global governance and development deficits.
It is believed that Qin's visit, his first overseas trip since he took up the position on Dec 30, will help further advance this cause. And what makes it hard for the US to drive a wedge between China and Africa is not only the bonds of brotherhood that have been forged between the two sides thanks to their similar historical experience of colonial exploitation, but also the efficiency, sustainability and potential of their pragmatic cooperation today.