China To Deepen Ties With Africa In Infrastructure, Trade – Xi Jinping

Chinese President Xi Jinping has pledged to deepen cooperation with African countries in infrastructure, trade, and investment, as he addressed the opening ceremony of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Beijing.

Xi hailed ties with the continent as being in their “best period in history” and announced that China is ready to deepen cooperation with African countries in industry, agriculture, infrastructure, trade, and investment.

The forum has attracted over 50 African leaders and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, with bilateral meetings yielding a plethora of pledges for deeper cooperation in various projects.

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Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema secured a deal with Beijing’s PowerChina to expand the use of rooftop solar panels in his country, while Nigerian President Bola Tinubu inked a joint statement agreeing to deepen cooperation in infrastructure, including transportation, ports, and free trade zones.

Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan obtained a commitment from Xi to push for new progress on a long-stalled railway connecting her country to neighboring Zambia, while Zimbabwe won promises from Beijing on deeper cooperation in agriculture, mining, environmentally friendly traditional and new energy, and transportation infrastructure.

Kenyan leader William Ruto said Xi had promised to open up China’s markets to agricultural products from his country, and secured pledges for greater cooperation on the expansion of the Standard Gauge Railway and the Rironi-Mau Summit-Malaba motorway.