(Two Sessions Express) Wang Yi refutes China's creation of a "debt trap" in Africa: not a "debt trap", but a monument of cooperation
China News Service, Beijing, March 7 (Reporter Li Chun) Regarding the voices of some foreign media questioning China's creation of a "debt trap" in Africa, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi was a reporter at the Fifth Session of the 13th National People's Congress on the 7th. rejected at the meeting.
Wang Yi responded that Chinese foreign ministers visit Africa first every year, which reflects China's firm support for Africa's development and revitalization.
Over the years, China has built more than 10,000 kilometers of railways, nearly 100,000 kilometers of roads, nearly 100 ports, and countless hospitals and schools in Africa.
These are not "debt traps", but monuments of cooperation.
He said that last year was a great year for China-Africa cooperation. The two sides successfully held the 8th Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation. The relationship develops with a new and strong impetus.
Wang Yi pointed out that this year is the first year to implement the outcomes of the Forum Ministerial Meeting.
China keeps its promises in cooperation with Africa, and never makes "empty checks".
We will vigorously promote the "Sino-African Friendship and Cooperation Spirit" and work with African countries to focus on three tasks:
First, vigorously promote cooperation with Africa in the fight against the epidemic.
Fully implement President Xi Jinping's commitment to provide 1 billion doses of vaccines to Africa, help Africa improve localized production capacity of vaccines, and help achieve the goal of vaccinating 60% of Africa's population by 2022.
The second is to promote the improvement and upgrading of China-Africa pragmatic cooperation.
Accelerate the high-quality joint construction of the "Belt and Road", and realize the early harvest of the "Nine Projects".
Promote the alignment of global development initiatives with the African Union's Agenda 2063, and support Africa's economic recovery and sustainable development with practical actions.
The third is to promote the "Concept of Peaceful Development in the Horn of Africa".
China has appointed a special envoy for the Horn of Africa affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and is willing to communicate extensively with countries in the region to play a constructive role in the peace and development of the Horn of Africa and the entire African continent.
In addition, Wang Yi also emphasized on China-Latin America relations that Latin America is a land full of hope and vitality, not someone's "backyard".
What the Latin American people need is fairness, justice and win-win cooperation, not power politics and bullying.
Wang Yi said that China and Latin America are both developing countries, and the common aspiration of independence, development and revitalization closely links the "Chinese Dream" with the "Latin American Dream".
Since the outbreak of COVID-19, China has actively carried out anti-epidemic cooperation with Latin America. So far, it has provided nearly 400 million doses of vaccines and nearly 40 million pieces of anti-epidemic materials to Latin America, including the Caribbean.
Wang Yi said that last year, the trade volume between China and Latin America exceeded 400 billion US dollars for the first time.
We also successfully held the third ministerial meeting of the "China-CELAC Forum", and reached new broad consensus on deepening China-CELAC strategic mutual trust and practical cooperation in key areas in the next three years.
As the Latin American proverb says, "A true friend can touch your heart from the other side of the world".
China will continue to work with Latin American friends to deepen friendship, expand cooperation, and actively build a China-Latin America community with a shared future.
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