Not long ago, I arrived in Mogadishu to assume the duty as the 12th Chinese Ambassador to Somalia. I felt not only honored and delighted for working in this traditionally friendly country with abundant natural resources as well as hard-working and talented people, but also excited and proud to shoulder the responsibility of promoting the friendly cooperation between our two countries at a time when new prospect of China-Africa and China-Somalia relations is unrolling.
Although still a new comer, I have already been deeply impressed by the determination and firmness of the Somali government in safeguarding the country’s sovereignty and rights as well as advancing peace and reconstruction. I am also touched by the enthusiasm of the Somali people from all walks of life in actively participating in the country’s construction and economic development. I also would like to sincerely congratulate Somalia on the remarkable achievements made under the leadership of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, such as the lifting of arms embargo by the United Nations Security Council, joining the East African Community, and being elected as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.
As the Chinese Ambassador to Somalia, I am uplifted by the profound history and special opportunities of China-Somalia relations. Somalia was the first East African country and one of the first sub-Saharan African countries to establish diplomatic relations with China. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations, our two countries have been supporting each other and joining hands on the road of national development. China has assisted Somalia in the construction of the National Theater, the National Stadium, the Benadir Hospital, the road linking Beledweyne and Burao, etc., and dispatched 13 medical teams to the country. China is continuing to provide assistance to Somalia in fields such as humanitarianism, education, medical care and human resources training. For recent years, our two countries have firmly supported each other’s efforts in safeguarding sovereignty and territorial integrity, marking a highlight of the bilateral relations by consolidating and deepening our political mutual trust.
As an old friend and good partner, China will continue to support Somalia in its efforts of promoting peaceful reconstruction, development and prosperity. Recently, the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China was successfully held. The conference has adopted more than 300 important reform measures aimed at further deepening reform comprehensively to advance Chinese modernization. China will continue to follow the path of peaceful development and win-win cooperation, which will create more opportunities to the rest of the world, including Africa. We sincerely hope that Somalia can further take a ride on the express train of Chinese modernization and seize on the development opportunities through China-Africa cooperation.
The Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) will be held from September 4 to 6. Leaders of China and Africa will gather around the theme “Joining Hands to Advance Modernization and Build a High-Level China-Africa Community with a Shared Future” to strengthen our friendship and cooperation. President Xi Jinping will deliver an important keynote speech to elaborate on the new conceptions and propositions for building a high-level community with a shared future between China and Africa. He will announce new actions and measures for practical cooperation with Africa. President Xi Jinping will also hold bilateral functions for African leaders attending the Summit. The Summit will adopt two outcome documents, the Declaration and the Action Plan. There will be a welcoming banquet, opening ceremony, four high-level meetings respectively on state governance, industrialization and agricultural modernization, peace and security, high-quality Belt and Road cooperation. The eighth Conference of Chinese and African Entrepreneurs and other events will also be held. This summit will be another grand reunion of China and African countries after the 2018 Beijing Summit of FOCAC.
Over the 24 years since the inauguration of the FOCAC, with the joint efforts of China and Africa, the Forum has always adhered to the principles of planning together, building together, and benefiting together, propelling China-Africa relations to make great strides forward and achieve leapfrog development. The building of China-Africa community with a shared future is advancing to a higher level, with the mutually beneficial cooperation being channeled toward higher-quality, the strategic coordination being extended to deeper levels and people-to-people exchanges being expanded into broader areas. This Summit will pool extensive consensus for the two sides to meet challenges and build a broad platform for sharing development opportunities. China is ready to seize this important opportunity with Africa to embark on a new journey toward modernization together, further elevate the building of China-Africa community with a shared future to new heights, and continue writing a new chapter in the mutual understanding, affinity and friendship between the people of China and Africa. Together, we will send a powerful message of Africa and China taking part in and leading the reform of the global governance system, so as to gather strong momentum to advance world modernization.
Somalia is a country full of potentials and promises. China-Somalia relations are full of opportunities and prospect. I stand ready to work with the Somali government and all sectors of society, taking guidance from the consensus reached by our two heads of state, to open up new prospects for and inject new impetus to our bilateral relations. We will continue to support each other on major concerns and core interests, deepen our traditional friendship, enhance cooperation in traditional fields such as humanitarian assistance, fishery, education, culture, and explore cooperation in emerging fields such as digital economy, infrastructure, finance, investment, renewable energy, communication, scientific and technological innovation. Let’s work together to develop China-Somalia relationship from strength to strengh, and building a high level China-Africa community with a shared future.
The author is H.E. Wang Yu, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to the Federal Republic of Somalia.
