China and Africa have set a stellar example of a new type of international relations, said Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday.

Xi made the remarks in a keynote speech delivered at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).

Xi pointed out that the friendship between China and Africa transcends time and space, surmounts mountains and oceans, and passes down through generations. The founding of the FOCAC in 2000 was a milestone in the history of China-Africa relations.

Over the past 24 years, especially in the new era, China has advanced forward hand in hand with our African brothers and sisters in the spirit of sincerity, real results, amity and good faith, the Chinese president said.

“We stand shoulder to shoulder with each other to firmly defend our legitimate rights and interests as once-in-a-century changes sweep across the world. We get stronger and more resilient together by riding the tide of economic globalization, delivering tangible benefits to billions of ordinary Chinese and Africans. We share weal and woe in fighting natural disasters and epidemics together, creating touching stories of China-Africa friendship. We always empathize with and support each other, setting a stellar example of a new type of international relations,” Xi said.

The three-day FOCAC summit, which is set to open in Beijing on Wednesday, is the largest diplomatic event hosted by China in recent years, with the highest attendance of foreign leaders.

Themed “Joining Hands to Advance Modernization and Build a High-Level China-Africa Community with a Shared Future,” the three-day event aims to strengthen friendships and outline future cooperation between the two sides.

African Times has published this article in partnership with Xinhua News Agency