African Union expects stronger economic ties with China: AUC Chairperson

Johannesburg -- Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with the African Union Commission Chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma in Johannesburg Thursday at the start of a series of meetings to intensify the economic relationship between China and Africa.

Speaking exclusively to Xinhua after the meeting, Dlamini-Zuma said Africa was ready to industrialize using the raw materials locally available but required the Chinese help in the process.

"There is agriculture, the land and the people. We need to modernize Africa's agriculture. We admire the Chinese example of lifting millions of people from poverty," Dlamini-Zuma told Xinhua.

President Xi is leading a Chinese delegation to the Johannesburg Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) which has attracted 45 African heads of state to discuss a wide range of issues on economic, social and political cooperation.

"The outcomes of this Summit will be beneficial to Africa. Africa has developed its own Agenda 2063 and we are here to align this cooperation with Africa's economic development agenda," the chairperson said.

The FOCAC is designed to promote economic cooperation and political dialogue between China and Africa.

Dlamini-Zuma said various agreements have been signed between China and the AU to promote the economic partnership. Among these agreements there is one on the development of a continental railway network which will link all of Africa's economic and political capitals.

"We hope to enhance this cooperation during the FOCAC Summit," the AUC chairperson said.

During the Johannesburg Summit, the AUC officials hope that the discussions would focus on the multilateral partnership between the AU, the African countries and China.

"Training is important to us. The young people of Africa need skills. We want China to be involved in the training of the skilled African workforce. We want to ensure that the African women are also part of this development. Beyond this, we want to focus on the issue of peace and energy development," Dlamini-Zuma added.

The China-Africa cooperation has been hailed in many ways for helping to accelerate economic growth in African countries.

The AUC official said the willingness by China to invest in new financial institutions would benefit African countries. She said African countries would also benefit from rapid infrastructure development by grasping opportunities created by the new Chinese investments in a new global financial system.

"It is up to African countries to make the best out of this relationship," Dlamini-Zuma added.

Dlamini-Zuma said beyond the primary areas of current cooperation, there was a chance for more Chinese banks to set up base in Africa to benefit from the high returns in infrastructure investments.

"The China-Africa relationship remains strong.The Chinese commitment to Africa has been intensified by President Xi. Clearly, Africa is part of China's priority areas of international cooperation," Dlamini-Zuma said.