Tag: Wang Yi

China’s Foreign Policy: Making Sense of Wang Yi’s Address

Posted on By Nnanda Kizito Sseruwagi

Wang Yi, the Chinese Foreign Minister, recently addressed a press conference on the margins of the 14th National People’s Congress on March 8, 2026. His address was wealthy with insights on almost every major fault line of contemporary geopolitics. The centrality of China in global affairs is now hackneyed. It is the vanguard of the new multipolar world order, the counterweight to Western hegemony.

Perhaps the most profound issue addressed by Wang is his critique and rejection of the U.S’ unipolarity.  He observed that whereas China and the United States have a significant impact on the world, all the more than 190 countries on the planet must be respected. He recognises that world history has always been written by many countries together, and the future of humanity is forged through the collective efforts of all nations. Wang recognises the fundamental truth that diversity is inherent to human society and that multipolarity is the natural state of the international system.

A reading of world history makes clear how humanity was disastrously affected whenever there was great-power rivalry and bloc confrontation. China’s promise to the world is that it will never take the beaten path of seeking hegemony, even as its strength grows. Besides the remarks Wang made on the commitments China makes in its foreign policy, the Chinese constitution is also clear on the principle that the country is to follow an independent foreign policy and is to be committed to pursuing a path of peaceful development. Therefore, Wang was simply reiterating comments by several Chinese leaders who have often declared to the world that no matter how the international situation evolves and how strong China becomes, it will never seek hegemony or expansion.

Therefore, Wang dismissed the “G2” format as a framework for China and the U.S. to address global challenges, even as Beijing seeks bilateral engagement with Washington. And it is not like Wang simply rejects the American framework without an alternative for how the international landscape should evolve. He articulated China’s proposal for building an equal and orderly multipolar world. He explained that in an “Equal” world, we can have an opportunity for every nation, regardless of size or strength, to be respected as an equal member of the international community, and have a place and play its role in a multipolar world. He also explained that “Orderly” means all countries should uphold the widely recognised international rules, namely the purposes and principles of the U.N. Charter and the basic norms of international relations.

I largely agree with Wang that every country should see it as a common responsibility to build an equal and orderly multipolar world. Wang urges the major countries with more resources and capabilities to be more generous, shoulder more responsibilities, and set an example of observing rules, honouring commitments and upholding international law. However, it is disappointing to see that this is not the constructive role that some Western nations are seeking.

Wang Yi also made very enlightened comments on U.S.-China relations. H recognises that the relationship between China and the United States is one of far-reaching and global implications. Neither country should therefore ignore the other, as doing so would only lead to mutual misperception and miscalculation. It is cliché that if the two countries slipped into conflict or confrontation, the whole world could suffer a disaster of unprecedented proportions. Wang observes that whereas neither side can remodel the other, they have an opportunity to choose how they want to engage, that is, “to commit to a spirit of mutual respect, to hold the bottom line of peaceful coexistence, and to strive for the prospect of win-win cooperation… That’s what serves the interests of the Chinese and American peoples, and that’s also the expectation of the international community.”

Wang also paid deep thought to the focal point in the current international situation in Iran. He presented China’s attitude on this issue as both objective and impartial. China’s principled position on this issue is the call for cessation of hostilities. Wang made a profound insight that the history of the Middle East tells the world time and again that force provides no solution and armed conflicts will only increase hatred and breed new crises.

If there is nothing Western leaders involved in this conflict could pick from this speech, it should be just the paragraph carrying the above remark. He also called for respecting national sovereignty, since sovereignty is the cornerstone of the current international order. He urged the parties to reject the abuse of force because might does not make right. He called on the parties to observe the principle of noninterference in internal affairs, noting that ‘the people in the Middle East are the true masters of this region. Middle Eastern affairs should be determined by regional countries independently.” And adding that “plotting a colour revolution or seeking regime change will find no popular support.” Wang also encouraged that the hotspot issues of this conflict should be settled politically rather than militarily. He reiterated that the major countries should play a constructive role and use their strengths in goodwill.

Speaking about 2025 as a significant year in Chinese diplomacy, Wang heralded the Global Governance Initiative (GGI) establishedby President Xi Jinping as a key platform to deal with emerging global challenges, the prominent governance deficit in the world, and the severe shock waves undermining multilateralism. He maintained that the most unequivocal requirement of the GGI is that the U.N. keeps pace with the times, improve its governance system through reform, and adapt to the evolving international situation and the changing dynamics in the global balance of power in the 21st century.

One gets a sense from listening to Wang Yi’s press conference remarks that China is currently in perhaps its most confident and assertive era. It has grown the zest to articulate an alternative vision for global order, and suggest alternative frameworks of leadership, rather than simply critique the existing one. What the global foreign policy arena witnesses now is a highly contested space between Western liberal institutionalism, which is losing its appeal, and a Chinese-led pluralism that prioritises sovereignty, non-interference, and South-South solidarity. My hope is that Africa recognises the opportunity and strategic complexity of the times and makes the best of them.

The writer is a senior research fellow | Development Watch Center.

Making Sense of China’s Foreign Minister, Wang Yi’s 2026 tour of Africa

Posted on By Musanjufu Benjamin Kavubu

As the world was being sent back into barbarism by President Trump’s actions in Venezuela, China was being consistent on the diplomatic front on the African continent. For 36 consecutive years the Chinese foreign ministry has made Africa it’s first stop of the year. It’s now a tradition in global diplomacy that the Chinese foreign minister makes his first formal appearance on the African continent as the year starts. In 2026 foreign minister Wang Yi was to visit Somalia, Ethiopia, Tanzania and Lesotho, but a few last minute changes happened as we shall note in this write up.

2026 marks a seven (7) decade diplomatic milestone between China and Africa relationship. Foreign Minister (FM) Wang Yi started his tour with a visit to Ethiopia one of Beijing’s biggest brain Child on the continent and also Africa’s political capital since it hosts the HQ of the African Union. Ethiopia is one of those African countries that value it’s relationship with China to an extent that, it was the first African country to waiver tarrifs on Chinese electronic vehicles (EVs). Ethiopia in the bid to modernize it’s economy is the second biggest holder of Chinese debt behind Angola on the African continent.

For FM Wang to make Addis Ababa one of his main stop centers on the customary African tour was a geopolitical strategy. Over time there has been a pragmatic mutual relationship between the two countries. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali  and FM Wang Yi held discussions on infrastructure, energy and economic cooperation between the two countries. The Ethiopian head of state stressed the need for cooperation on what he referred to as new energy and AI given the global outlook on technology driving development at the moment. He referred to China as a historical trustworthy strategic partner to Ethiopia. FM Wang Yi said China expects Ethiopia to play a major role in regional and global affairs especially now that it is member of the BRICS.

While in Ethiopia FM Wang Yi officially launched the 2026 China-Africa Year of People-to-People exchange and during the opening ceremony he conveyed the contents of a letter from President Xi Jinping that had the message that emphasized the importance of cultural dialogue and mutual learning to strengthen friendship and advance modernization. President Xi called for closer ties between China and Africa’s 2.8 billion people, promoting Global South solidarity and building a shared future for humanity.

From his meeting with the Chairperson of the African Union (AU) H.E Mahmoud Youssouf, FM Wang Yi issued a joint call to uphold international law, sovereignty and territorial integrity given what had just happened in Venezuela and what is going on with Greenland.  FM Wang Yi emphasized the idea of African solutions to African problems and China would play a predictable supportive long term partner of the journey through its Global Security Initiative and Global Governance Initiative to blaster the AU agenda 2063 and African Union silencing the guns initiative by 2030. For China a peaceful Africa is very important for regional and global trade if prosperity for all is to be archived.

China has tried to put peace at the forefront of it’s agenda in the greater East African region since 2022 actively, when it put in place a special envoy for the Horn of Africa whose objective and task is to resolve conflicts through integration of infrastructure projects like ports and railways rather than political meddling.

Wang Yi trip to Somalia was called off at the last moment for reasons not yet clear but possibly security, but the fact that Mogadishu was on the list was a big statement just after Tel viv tried to compromise the territorial integrity of the country by recognizing Somaliland as an independent state. It was more than a diplomatic gesture because China can relate especially with its situation with Taiwan.

2026 marks the 50 years of the Tanzania-Zambia railway the famous TAZARA that makes Tanzania a very huge strategic piece for China not just in East Africa but on the continent. TAZARA connects the Indian Ocean supply chain to the Zambia and DRC mineral deposits and a huge rival to the US song of the Lobito Corridor that connects Zambia to the Atlantic, but Tanzania for China is more that a supply chain piece. The Chinese leadership School on the African continent is also set up in the country that is supposed to link various African parties to the CCP. FM Wang Yi’s visit to Tanzania would also go a long way to support new Administration that started off on rocky grounds as it was tested from its core a few weeks back.

Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s last stop was in the South of the continent to the tiny nation of Lesotho, a country that is fully surrounded by South Africa. Lesotho as been at the receiving end of President Trump’s Mafia diplomacy of late, first it was severely affected by Mr. Trump’s tarrifs when he slapped a 50% that has since been reduced to 15% which is still huge for the small nation. Lesotho has also been serious affected by the halting of AGOA that was very critical to its textile industry and they did negotiate with China for alternatives for their products especially now that through FOCAC Africa has Zero tarrifs access to the Chinese market.

At the end of the day FM Wang Yi’s 2026 tour of Africa will go down as a strategic attempt to reinforce Beijing’s role as an alternative geopolitical and geoeconomic pole that offers the global South in general a special avenue of engagement centered on sovereignty, development and institutional partnerships.

The writer is a research fellow at the Sino-Uganda Research Centre.

Wang Yi is Spot-on; The Global South is Growing Stronger

Posted on By Alan Collins Mpewo

The former President of the European Commission, Professor Jose Manuel Barroso once observed; “in the age of globalisation, pooled sovereignty means more power, not less.” There was a time when Africa recorded a growth in globalisation. But that time was many centuries ago. Societies have been organised in various ways, most of which have been classified depending on the politics of the day. So were the Empires of the times. Kingdoms, Queendoms, Chiefdoms, and extended clans that followed.

Globalisation comes from the understanding that it needs to be done with neighbours, because as far as history has registered, borders and boundaries were established from many factors. What remained certain were the people. They have been the most plausible justification as to why the trend should never stop. The people of the global south today have understood that there is an international lag in the intentional relations with the other global north countries. Oftentimes, it has been using the global south for selfish gains. Here, one can even argue that West Africa has all justification for suspending French military presence. Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, and more on that list. That said, if critically analysed, the global north has been strategic besides its countless faults. The European Union, the confederation of the USA, the rise of the Asian Tigers, all these and more were from the same view – harnessing the power of concerted strength.

There is a reason as to why today, the global south has become a centre of attraction. From the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, to political alliances, the global south is undeniable. On the other hand, China has been standing shoulder to shoulder with almost all global south countries. Today, as Beijing doubles down efforts to support building a community of a shared future for mankind,  her close cooperation with developing countries especially in Africa are visible. For Africa, the greatest symbolism of what bloc unity can produce became a reality when the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in 2017 spoke in union and forced then the Gambian strongman, Yahya Jammeh who had lost election but refused to peacefully handover power. Therefore, when we talk about unity in efforts of development and achieving greater good for humanity, it is not far-fetched.

China’s Foreign Minister, Wang Yi put this in a better perspective as he addressed the press in Beijing where he stressed the importance of unity and cooperation of the Global South. Noting that today the Global South accounts for over 40 percent  of the global GDP, he underscored the role of the grouping  in ensuring world peace. “The Global South should stand together in unity….We should speak in one voice to the world, safeguard our common interests, and steadily increase our representation and voice in global governance,” stressed Wang Yi.

This comes from the disunity today that is being cited globally. Whereas the Global South has issues, most of them are arising from the inadequacies in governance. Wang’s idea has been backboned by the expansion of the BRICS where he believes that more global south countries joining will not only strengthen the alliance but also increase the opportunities members enjoy, one being the trade exchanges in this era of growing sanctions and tariffs from the West especially in Trump’s United States of America which is on rampage of using tariffs against others despite many experts warning that such tariffs are not only a threat to international trade but are also against international trade rules. Indeed, the Wall Street Journal described the Trump Administration’s use of tariffs as a “dumb” decision.

It therefore goes to show the double standards that have always shown up and called out. The West is predominantly only loyal to its interests. To expand the re-echo by Jeffrey Sachs on a quote from Henry Kissinger that “to be an enemy of America (insert – WEST) can be dangerous, but to be America’s (insert – WEST’s) friend is fatal.”

In recent decades, conversations have been around fighting hegemonies and to form an alternative to the powers of neo-colonialism that are not afraid to show their fangs whenever an opportunity shows itself. The comments from Wang are timely. The global south has high potential but for a few inadequacies. It is going to take visionary stewards towards ensuring realising the unity that the Global South deserves, and not just what it wants to see.

Today, the expanse of mineral deposits and natural resources that the West enjoyed is gradually diminishing, and as such the Global South holds the odds of power. The current century has proved that it is not just military might that is going to be the better of growth and development. Today’s fruits of international diplomacy were not merely achieved through the barrel of the gun, but decades of continuous middle ground formulation and genuine resource sharing, although history is littered with events of use of force. That is no longer sustainable because the world has learnt from the mistakes that led to the massive destruction of World War II. The alternatives raised by the BRICS are so practical and viable. The economic development of the Global South that has been recorded today is just an indicator of what economic unity bears as fruits.

Alan Collins Mpewo is a Senior Research Fellow, Development Watch Centre.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wang Yi is Correct: Time Looks About Right For The Global South

Posted on By Joshua Kingdom

Having spent the last fifty years or so portraying itself as the anointed protector of the world, the last thing that the West would wish for is for stability to prevail in other regions while it disintegrates. And yet, as Europe gathers itself to patch up what is left of the NATO rags, this is exactly the place in which it finds itself.

Relatedly, it is more plausible that the inward looking frameworks being passed in the United States of America e.g. foreign aid cuts have more to do with a realization that her economy no longer has what it takes to pursue these ventures than the supposed misspending concerns.

The big mistake of the North that culminated into the harsh reality that the countries in the bloc now have to contend with, was a failure to appreciate the nuances associated with the developing world. Having landed on a couple of blanket terms one of which is “global south”, western politicians blinded themselves from a multiplicity of synergetic factors (say natural resources, geography, and population dynamics) existing in the over 100 emerging economies and so they underrated them– if not ignoring them altogether.

This meant that even countries in Asia, the Caribbean, or Africa whose governments were initially sympathetic to western ideologies found difficulty in communicating to the developed world unless they were picked on for strategic interests. An alternative had to be found thus, and it was. Most importantly, it is a model that works.

The trajectory onto which the once disenfranchised countries have set ever since is that of cooperation and it was best articulated by President Xi Jinping of China at the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro last year as one that seeks to see “100 flowers” blossom in stark contrast to the usual hegemonic tendencies of super powers.

To this end, ensuing progress can be measured by the fact that several players in this new way of conducting international relations have leveraged domestic capabilities to support their compatriots who could otherwise not accomplish certain objectives. Like China’s Xi Jinping, Brazil’s President, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has been a big advocate of the admission of the African Union into the G20 grouping. Guided by her desire of building a community of shared prosperity for mankind, China has gone out of its way to support the economic development of African nations. As it stands then, the country has single-handedly lent more money to the continent than that given out by the World Bank, IMF, USA, Britain, France, and Germany combined.

If you are a numbers person, then I have some for you to crunch as they show strength on the economic front as well. By the end of 2024, the total GDP of the founding BRICS members (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) was more than that of the G7 economies. Expanding to all the countries making up the global south, they makeup 40% of global GDP today and 80% of economic growth. Inter-trade relations amongst these countries have also seen a boom as the consumption capacity in the West continues to fall. So in 2023, China’s exports to her allies exceeded what the country shipped to Europe and the United States.

With such facts and commitment among some major powers showing unwavering support for the global south, one can safely argue that the days for West’s global hegemony are numbered, multipolarity is unstable. As observed by Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee who doubles as China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi as he engaged the media, the cooperation of the Global South will create the necessary environment needed for prosperity and growth of not only the global south but the entire world. “As the world is undergoing great transformation unseen in a century, historic changes are taking place in the East-West and South-North dynamics. The Global South holds the key to bringing stability to the world and making it a better place,” Wang Yi told news reporters.

In order to consolidate these gains and harness future prospects, formal and informal forums have been created e.g. the Shanghai Cooperation and Voice of Global South summits in another clear demonstration of a bold vision. Under these arrangements, care has been taken to ensure that members are best positioned to contribute in the best way that they can for the common interest of everyone involved. The admission of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to BRICS for instance, introduced the element of oil wealth in the organization. It is not surprising then that the membership of these umbrellas has been rising up dramatically in the last couple of years.

While the future for the global south looks promising,  as Chinese adage say, “众志成城”, loosely translated as “a united will can build a fortress” or “unity brings strength,” as global south gatheres efforts needed to build an ideal world,  unity among the grouping members will play a pivital role. This was ephasized by Wang Yi as he addressed the media observing that, ‘the Global South should stand together in unity. This year, China will host the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, Brazil the BRICS summit, and South Africa the G20 summit. We should speak in one voice to the world, safeguard our common interests, and steadily increase our representation and voice in global governance.”

With this momentum increasing further and further, the West is reluctantly coming to admit that it might very well not have what it takes to reckon with it. In a 2023 United Kingdom defense review for example, the government affirmed that there was a looming shift in the tide of geopolitics. Too bad for them if they find no recourse.

The writer is a research fellow at the Development Watch Centre.

 

China’s Wang Yi Africa Visit: 2025 Will Be A Fruitful Year For Sino-Africa Relations

Posted on By Allawi Ssemanda

Dear Editor, last week, China’s top Diplomat Wang Yi completed his week-long Africa trip having visited four different African countries of Chad, the Republic of Congo, Namibia and Nigeria.

The visit which marked 140th visit from Chinese top leadership to the continent since the year 2007. It was also 35th year in a row Chinese Foreign Minister making Africa the first destination for his foreign where traditionally the visit covers 4-5 African countries every January of the year. By all measures, the tradition confirms that China puts great importance to its cooperation with Africa. It is also a testament that China’s diplomatic ties with Africa is guided by principles of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit, inclusiveness and real results as President Xi Jinping often states.

Wang Yi’s visit came just months after China upgraded bilateral relations between African countries with China to the level of strategic relations, with president Xi Jinping during 2024 Forum on China Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) announcing that the overall characterization of Africa-China relations be elevated to all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era.

If critically analyzed, Wang Yi, who doubles as a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, his visit is key in deepening practical cooperation between China and Africa in different sectors and promoting an in-depth development of China-Africa cooperation with real results and win-win for both sides. Indeed, President Xi Jinping observed in his 2013 FOCAC summit key note address in Durban, South Africa that; “the development of China-Africa ties can only be in the present continuous tense and never in the present perfect tense.”  A decade plus since Xi’s remarks, China continues to stand shoulder to shoulder and work with African countries for mutual benefits – a sign that Beijing is committed to her idea of building a community of shared future and prosperity for mankind in the new era.

For decades now, the trade between two sides have been growing and are projected to further grow in 2025. For example, in addition to being Africa’s largest trading partner for the last 15 years in a row, at the end of 2023, China’s trade volume with African countries reached USD 282.1 billion. At the end of 2024, this grew to USD 296 billion representing about 5% increasement, according to data by the General Administration of Customs of China.

With China’s Belt and Road Initiative which is making significant contribution in improving the continent’s infrastructure connectivity, zero tariff policy on African goods entering Chinese markets as announced by China, the figures of trade between two sides will likely grow further. Considering multiplier effects of such which include among others contributing to improved standards of living, one can safely argue that China-Africa cooperation in all ways is contributing to building a community of shared prosperity and shared future in the new era. This goes without saying that China’s initiatives such as Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative and Global Civilization Initiatives are also key in building the ideal world.

In this context, Wang Yi’s visit clearly shows China’s willingness to work with African counterparts in ensuring that the 10 partnership actions President Xi announced during the 2024 FOCAC summit meant to be implemented over a period of next three years are fast tracked. The 10 Partnership Actions include among others; mutual learning among civilization which will see sharing of governance experience, establishment of 25 China-Africa studies centers; the Partnership Action for trade and prosperity; the Partnership Action for industrial chain cooperation which will see the launch of an African SMEs empowerment program and  China supporting the continent to build 20 digital demonstration projects in Africa; the Partnership Action of connectivity with aim of supporting 30 infrastructure connectivity projects in Africa; and Partnership Action on health. Under health action, China will send 2,000 medical experts in Africa, launch 20 programs of health facilities and malaria treatment and encourage Chinese companies to invest in Africa’s pharmaceutical production.

Others include Partnership Action for development cooperation which will see implementation of 1,000 small and beautiful livelihood projects; Partnership Action for agriculture and livelihoods which will see increase in Chinese funding of agriculture on the continent; Partnership Action for green development; Partnership Action for people-to-people exchanges; and Partnership Action for common security.

If critically analyzed, all the 10 Partnership Actions will help the continent to address its challenges and most of its bottlenecks to development. For example, under the Partnership Action for Agriculture and livelihoods, China promised to provide Africa with 1 billion Chinese Yuan in emergency food assistance, support in building about 6,670 hectares of standardized agricultural demonstration, send agricultural experts to train their African counterparts and establish a China-Africa agricultural science and technology innovation alliance. This is in addition to implementing 500 programs meant to support and promote community welfare. More importantly, under the Partnership Action for agriculture, China’s aim is to promote two-way investments for new business by both Chinese and African companies with aim of retaining and adding value in goods produced on the continent and create at least one million jobs for the continent.

Aware that China believes in consultations other than enforcing her own ideas on her allies, one can argue that Wang Yi’s visit at a time when the two sides are readying themselves to embark on implementation of the projects under the said Partnership Actions, the visit was crucial for consultations and understanding of priorities for African countries where the partnership projects will be implemented. It is also a testament of China’s readiness and willingness to kick-start the implementation of the 10 partnership actions.

Taking the Partnership Action for common security as an example, during his Africa trip, Minister Yi was categorical that China will “firmly support Africans in addressing African issues in the African way,” stressing that “African people are the real masters of this continent.” Yi further expressed China’s stance against interfering in the Continent’s internal affairs in any form and instead showed Beijing’s willingness and readiness to support the continent so that African countries themselves can devise ways of addressing their concerns. It’s in this visit that wang announced USD 136 million to support the continent in addressing security issues, help in training of 6000 troops and 1,000 police officers across Africa. He also pledged China’s support to the continent in its interests including at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). “At the UNSC, China will always be in favor of Africa,” stressed wang Yi.

In conclusion, considering that China takes engagement and consultations with allies key in their development support; and, aware that China’s global initiatives such as Global Development Initiative, Global Civilization Initiative and Global Security Initiative and the Belt and Road Initiative have some convergence with African Union’s Agenda 2063, one can safely argue that 2025 will be a fruitful year for China-Africa cooperation. With Wang Yi’s just concluded visit, this assertion is arguably bankable especially that both sides are determined to strengthen their achievements and that Beijing has been clear that her relationship with Africa is guided by principles of amity, sincerity, mutual benefits and real results with aim of building a community of shared future for mankind in the new era.

The writer is a resident senior research fellow at the Development watch Centre.

China’s Wang Yi’s Africa Visit Shows Her Value

Posted on By Joshua Kingdom

By Joshua Kingdom

“Africa should be a big stage for international cooperation, not an arena for major-force rivalry”. These were the words of then Chinese Foreign Minister (FM) Qin Gang speaking to the press in Ethiopia while on his Africa visit in January 2023. Thereafter, he would fly to Angola, Gabon, Benin, and finally Egypt. This sort of thing happens at every beginning of year in a long standing tradition of demonstrating an enduring commitment to African affairs by The Chinese Communist party (CCP). For 2025, the current FM, Wang Yi concluded the year’s version of the tour in Nigeria on Thursday last week.

There is a lot that the minister’s journey achieved on its own, including the fact that his meeting with President Denis Sassou Nguesso of the Republic of the Congo re-echoed China’s readiness to start on the implementation of her promises at last year’s Forum on China-Africa Cooperation as well as how the liaison with Chad fills a gap that the recent crisis between the country and her former colonizer had caused. For our purposes here however, we will instead focus on how it is that the custom of Chinese foreign ministers travelling to this part of the world annually is strong evidence for how much their government cherishes it.

In doing so, I hope to provide a counter-perspective to that which one often hears from the West when its media paints China’s motives in relating with Africa as opportunistic through and through. As you read on, please keep at the back of your mind the fact that these cries have somehow become louder at a time when the potential of the AU states begins to vividly show– it is estimated for instance, that we will spend as much as $16 trillion in consumption and business yearly by 2050.

The shift in partnership preference by African leaders from West to East is explainable in part by the fact that Beijing has treated them with dignity. While President Hu Jintao hosted the first China-Africa Summit in 2006 thus, it took almost a decade before the United States thought that organizing an equivalent event was worth the bother. No example brings out this point better however, than the FMs’ engagements. I mean, the practice has been going for thirty-five years now. Surely, everyone would agree that the state of geopolitics has changed so much from 1990 that China cannot have been lying low all this while waiting for when the moment is right. Add to this the fact that FMs are often high ranking state officials such that their involvement in any duty is a mark of the significance that their party attaches to it and you see where this is going. Indeed, Wang Yi presently serves on the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party.

Moreover, China has made gains from the China-Africa FM trips as much as Africa has. Seeing the deliberate effort that the CCP leadership has invested through this initiative, other global powers are beginning to send more of their top politicians on the continent with competing offers. In 2023 alone hence, United States Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited five African nations between themselves. And in December last year, President Biden made his way to Angola. Significantly, the latter country has a lot to thank China for since western powers had mostly abandoned it during the immediate aftermath of the disastrous war that wrecked it at the turn of the century.

Knowing that there is no place in which actions speak louder than words than in foreign relations then, the time that Chinese FMs spend on the continent every beginning of year tells us all that we need to know about their homeland’s view of Africa. Countries in the Northern hemisphere will have to up the game before earning the right to convince Africans otherwise.

The writer is a lawyer and research fellow at the Development Watch Centre.

China’s UN speech offers guidance and hope for a stable world

Posted on By Allawi Ssemanda

On Saturday 24th, China’s State Councilor who doubles as Foreign Minister Wang Yi delivered speech to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) at UN headquarters in New York.

In the 21 minutes address, Wang told world leaders that today, the world is faced with multiple challenges; “COVID-19 has kept resurfacing, global security faces uncertainty, global economic recovery is fragile and unsteady and various risks and crisis are emerging,” he stressed.  Wang went ahead explaining that “changes unseen a century, are accelerating.” This, he argued has seen “the world has entere a new phase of turbulence and change.”

Despite painting a grim picture of the current situation, Wang explained that the world continues to move toward multipolarity, deepening of economic globalization and interconnectedness and interdependence of countries and that increased people’s calls for progress and cooperation among countries getting louder, these are good signs of hope.

To address current challenges the world is facing, State Councilor Wang Yi explained that China is ready to take lead. He then advanced six key areas the world should focus on to ensure that together, the world builds a community with a shared future for mankind.

Stressing importance of peace for the future of international community, Wang emphasized the need to uphold peace and opposing wars. Quoting China’s president Xi Jinping, Wang Yi explained “turbulence and war can only open pandora’s box. And he who instigates a proxy war can easily get himself burned.” Further, he called for peace stressing that “pursuing one’s absolute security can only undermine global strategic stability. We must address differences by peaceful means and resolve disputes through dialogue and consultation.”

Compared with China’s Global Security Initiative which emphasizes common comprehensive cooperative and sustainable security, respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of others, abiding by the principles of UN charter, taking seriously security concerns of others among others, this idea will help in addressing global challenges that are security related.

Secondly, explaining that development is key for one’s wellbeing, Wang emphasized the need to support development efforts and end poverty globally. “Development holds the key to resolving difficult issues and delivering a happy life to our people,” noted Wang. He also stressed importance of working together. “We should place development at the centre of international agenda and forge a global development partnership and see that everyone in every country benefit from fruits of development in equitable way,” emphasized Wang.

If analysed, the above resonates well with China’s proposed global development initiative (GDI) which was introduced by president Xi in September 2021. GDI outlines China’s vision in context of global development efforts. It aims to support developing countries in poverty alleviation, public health, and other issues, while putting people at centre of development.

Thirdly, Wang called for an open world economy and inclusiveness while upholding, multilateral trading system like the World Trade Organization (WTO). Quoting president XI, Wang underscored importance of openness explaining that to achieve human prosperity and advancement, the world should oppose exclusion. “Protectionism can only boomerang and decoupling and supply‑chain disruptions will hurt everyone,” explained Wang.

Wang called for global cooperation and opposing confrontation. “Our best strategy is to stick together and the only way forward is through win-win cooperation,” Wang noted. While acknowledging that it’s understandable and natural countries to have misunderstandings, it should not be a reason for confrontation stressing that through dialogue, such can be addressed. He stressed the need to “increase mutual understanding on basis of equality and respect. We should engage in dialogue, consultation, and win-win cooperation and reject conflict, coercion and zero-sum game. We should jointly reject group politics and block confrontation.”

Closer analysis of this view advanced by Wang Yi is that with cooperation, dialogue, respect for one another, cold war mentality and countries rejecting group politics and block confrontation, challenges such as conflicts that threaten global security can be avoided.

Further, Wang Yi mentioned strengthening solidarity, and opposing division as another way world can confront global challenges. Using analogy of passengers on the same ship, he described countries world-over as passengers. “Countries around the world are like passengers on the same ship who share a common stake. All of us should pull together to navigate the ship through storm toward a bright future. Our world must embrace diverse cavillation in order to make continuous advances and mankind must pursue an inclusive path in order to achieve modernization,” stated Wang Yi. He emphasized that democracy and human rights should not be used as tools to achieve political ends.

Wang underscored the need for fairness, equity and oppose bulling which he stressed all go against UN charter. Wang emphasised that “mutual respect and equity of all countries, big and small is a primary principle of UN charter.” He stressed that all international issues should be handled by all and in equal and respectful manner stressing that no country should be tolerated to abuse its power to bully other sovereign countries.

Regarding Ukraine-Russia crisis, Wang Yi called for urgent peace talks to resolve the conflict and expressed China’s full support for all efforts conducive to its peaceful resolution and emphasized the need for all parties to keep the crisis from “spilling over” and protect the legitimate rights and interests of other developing countries. Wang observed that a few countries have arbitrarily imposed unilateral sanctions affecting other countries’ interests.

On Taiwan question, Wang Yi emphasized that Taiwan has been an “inseparable part of China’s territory since ancient times”, and stressed that its “One China” policy has become a basic norm of the international relations and a consensus of the international community. Wang emphasized that Beijing would continue to work for the peaceful reunification with sincerity, but warned that, to realize this goal, it will combat separatist activities with the firmest resolve and take the most forceful steps to oppose external interference.  “Any move to obstruct China’s reunification is bound to be crushed by the wheels of history,” noted Wang.

In conclusion, despite the world entering a “new phase of turbulence and change” as Wang observed, the six points Wang advanced can help as discussed above. This is largely due to the fact that much of today’s challenges are security related and Wang’s six points if analysed broadly, they tackle security concerns issues. Above all, the six points emphasise the need to respect and uphold to the principles of UN charter. Therefore, China’s address to world leaders during 77th UNGA offers leadership and hope for sustainable global security.

Allawi Ssemanda is a senior research fellow at Development Watch Centre.