5th Roundtable Conference on China-Africa Cooperation Opens in Wanning

The 5th Roundtable Conference on China-Africa Cooperation jointly sponsored by the Association of Former Diplomats of China and Hainan People’s Government was held In Shimei Bay, Wanning on the morning of November 13. Diplomatic envoys, entrepreneur representatives, experts and scholars from 35 African countries gathered in Hainan and had in-depth discussion with China representatives concerning the subject of Transformation, Upgrade and Win-Win Cooperation in order to further promote the effect and influence of Hainan Province in China-Africa cooperation.

Ji Peiding (President of Roundtable Conference on China-Africa Cooperation and Director of the Association of Former Diplomats of China) announced the opening of the event. Jiang Dingzhi (Governor of Hainan Province) addressed. Edie (the Second Vice President of Zanzibar), Julio Cesar Freire De Morais (Representative of Africa Mission and Cape Verde Ambassador to China), Zhang Ming (Vice Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affair of the People’s Republic of China) and Qian Keming (Chief Economic Manager of the Ministry of Agriculture of the People’s Republic of China) made their own theme speeches on the opening ceremony.

In the speech, Jiang Dingzhi firstly expressed his sincere greetings to all distinguished guests on behalf of Hainan People’s Government. “We have been paying close attention to Ebola in Africa all the time, we are concerned about the safety of people in stricken area and we have been touched by strong will and resolution of African people in fighting the disease. We believe that with the jointly efforts of international community, including China government and people, the great African people will definitely be able to defeat the huge disaster,” said by Jiang Dingzhi when referring to Ebola in Africa.

Jiang Dingzhi said that more than 2200 years ago, the ancient Silk Road acted like a ribbon of friendship to connect China and Africa. However in new era, the exchange and cooperation between the two destinations entered an energetic express way. Africa has become an indispensable important overseas support and power for development of China, and China has been the biggest trade partner and important investment source for Africa. Xi Jinping (President of the People’s Republic of China) announced in the newly closed APEC Beijing that China will contribute $40 billion to set up Silk Road Foundation for providing financing support for national infrastructure construction, resource development and industrial cooperation in one-belt-and-one-road regions, which will be another important opportunity to promote China-Africa cooperation. Standing on a new historical starting point to further expand the cooperative fields, enrich the cooperation connotation and realize win-win cooperation is the intrinsic requirement for upgrading the China-Africa cooperation and is the joint strong desire for the two parties.

It is reported that a series of result-oriented special sessions, such as Entrepreneur High-end Forum, China-Africa Agriculture Cooperation Seminar and Painting & Calligraphy Seminar, will be held. A Press Communique will be published after the event is over.