Illustration: Chen Xia/GT

The 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) concluded in Beijing on September 6, with both sides vowing to jointly build an All-Weather China-Africa Community with a Shared Future for the New Era, and to pursue modernization and prosperity hand-in-hand.

It is a visionary declaration to the world. Africa and China, together accounting for one-third of the planet's population, are entitled to stand together in striving for a better livelihood for their great peoples.

Aided by China's increasingly mature industrial technologies and more than 40 years of rich experience in reform and opening-up, it is high time for Africans to make greater efforts to overcome poverty, and work together toward a better future.

At the FOCAC summit, China pledged to jointly advance modernization with Africa by implementing 10 partnership actions and a combined 360 billion yuan ($51 billion) in financial support to implement these actions. To break it down, the funds include 210 billion yuan of credit line, 80 billion yuan of assistance in various forms, and 70 billion yuan of investment in Africa by Chinese enterprises. 

For the cooperation to yield results, it is essential to incorporate Chinese technology into key sectors such as agriculture and manufacturing in Africa. For instance, the construction of advanced 5G mobile networks and other digital technology infrastructure will enhance Africa's capacity to harness big data and develop artificial intelligence tools, which can effectively improve productivity and economic efficiency across the African continent.

The world has witnessed constructive cooperation between China and Africa over the years. Now, significantly reinforced by the 10 partnership action plans and pledged Chinese investments, Africa and China will unite and forge ahead together on their common path toward modernization and prosperity. 

Trade between China and Africa in 2023 reached $282.1 billion, an increase of 11 percent compared to 2021, reflect the vibrant commerce and deepening cooperation between the two sides. 

For some time, China-bashers or China-haters in the West have attempted to drive a wedge between China and African countries by portraying a "neocolonial China-Africa relationship," alleging that China is "trapping Africa with debts and exploiting African natural resources." In reality, these ex-colonists will never admit that their own plundering and pillaging are the root cause of Africa's poverty.

Although Africa has been unfairly labeled and denigrated in the West, China has the confidence and resolve to help the less-developed continent to stand on its own foot, train its labor force, support African countries with Chinese technology and capital, enabling the continent to take off economically. 

Now that China-Africa relations have been elevated to an All-Weather China-Africa Community with a Shared Future for the New Era, both sides should support each other, pursue rapid integrated economic development, promote green sustainable growth, and always prioritize their people's interests.

Facing the tumultuous de-globalization headwinds coming from developed countries, China and Africa, as two dominant forces within the Global South, boldly say "no" and continue to ride the tide of economic globalization. In the coming three years, the two sides will implement the 10 China-Africa partnership action plans, which are designed to spearhead their modernization drive and help realize a fairer and more stable world order. 

China said that it is ready to increase exchanges of governance experience with African countries and support them in exploring modernization paths that fit their respective national conditions. At the same time, African countries and China have agreed to ramp up their joint efforts to accelerate their modernization that is just, equitable, open, win-win, people-centered, inclusive, eco-friendly, and underpinned by peace and security.

To enhance connectivity with Africa, China has expressed its preparedness to carry out 30 infrastructure connectivity projects across the continent, and establish a China-Africa network featuring land-sea links and coordinated development. These declarations are of great importance for nurturing even closer China-Africa partnership. The share of the manufacturing sector in Africa's GDP is a relatively low 13 percent currently, so it is imperative to develop manufacturing industry there. It is hoped that with China's support, more businesses will emerge and grow in Africa, generating internal growth momentum and creating tangible benefits for the African people.

The author is an editor with the Global Times. bizopinion@globaltimes.com.cn