Beijing, September 9 (Zhongxin Net) -- "I believe that China's positive measures in infrastructure construction will help bridge the development gap between countries in Asia and Africa. Farhana Paruk, a senior executive at the Gordon Institute of Business Sciences at the University of Pretoria in South Africa and a former researcher at Harvard University's Weidehei Center for International Affairs, affirmed the positive prospects of the Belt and Road Initiative in South Africa and the entire African continent in a recent interview with Chinanews.com.

Connecting Asia and Africa

The "Green Silk Road" has a lot to offer

Commenting on the development prospects of the Belt and Road Initiative, Paruch said: "We can look back at the story of the ancient Silk Road and see how the Silk Road brought countries and societies together. ”

She stressed that infrastructure construction is an important material foundation for economic development, which not only brings employment opportunities, but also promotes interregional connectivity.

In Paruk's view, the Belt and Road Initiative is recreating the grandeur of the ancient Silk Road, connecting the two distant continents of Asia and Africa by connecting countries and promoting trade exchanges, people-to-people exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations.

"The future of the Belt and Road Initiative is promising, and under the BRICS cooperation mechanism, we see the focus on the Belt and Road projects. I think that's where the opportunity lies. ”

Paruch said that at present, the projects under the "Belt and Road" initiative are more concentrated in the north of South Africa, with the Mongolian railway in Kenya being the most representative. She said she expects more projects to come to fruition in South Africa.

She pointed out that the continent is rich in solar energy resources, sufficient sunlight, long light time, and superior natural conditions for the use of photovoltaic power generation technology. In the context of intensifying global climate change and the increasingly prominent demand for green and high-quality development, Asian and African countries can carry out multilateral cooperation in green energy and technology under the framework of the "Belt and Road", and the "green Silk Road" will have great potential.

Affectionate "confession"

Evaluating China as the "Land of the Future"

When talking about his relationship with China, Paruk, who has studied China for more than 20 years, humorously "confessed" to China: "I often say that my love is China, and my husband can only be second." ”

Paruch said she loves China's rich history and rich culture. Over the years, Paruk has traveled to China nearly 30 times, covering China's great rivers and mountains. In this regard, she sighed: "China never makes me bored, there are always new things waiting for me to understand, and every trip to China can bring different surprises." The Chinese people's hospitality, humility and courtesy also impressed this "old friend".

She praised that "China is a country that represents the future", not only because of the speed of China's development in recent decades, but also because of the unity of the Chinese people in the face of difficulties.

Recalling his visit to the Hongqi Canal in Henan, Paruk said: "Under the drought, facing great difficulties, the Chinese people decided to unite and build the canal together. "The canal still functions today.

Data map: Paruch visits the Hongqi Canal Project Memorial Venue. (Photo courtesy of interviewee)

She believes that in the process of jointly building the "Belt and Road", the perseverance and unity spirit of the Chinese nation will also help them overcome various difficulties.

Inclusive sharing

Tribulation is more true

Paruch also delves into his insights into Chinese and African philosophical thought. She believes that the spirit of solidarity in Chinese is similar to the "Ubangtu" philosophy of South Africa, and its core lies in the "collective", that is, all people are interdependent, solidarity, and harmonious coexistence in the same home. The Belt and Road Initiative provides such an inclusive and shared global development solution.

Paruch stressed that in the more than 20 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and South Africa, the two countries have always maintained a close partnership and the steady development of bilateral relations, which is commendable. At a time when South Africa is experiencing an energy crisis, China's ability to lend a helping hand and provide advanced energy technology further demonstrates the sincerity and solidity of bilateral relations.

She said that she hopes that the two countries can reach more cooperation in the field of energy, and the "Belt and Road" initiative will achieve more results in South Africa and usher in a brighter future. (End)