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Source: People's Republic of China in Russian – People's Republic of China in Russian –
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Source: People's Republic of China – State Council News
ADDIS ABABA, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) — The opening ceremony of the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges was held at the African Union (AU) headquarters here on Thursday.
Member of the Politburo of the CPC Central Committee and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi read a congratulatory letter from Chinese President Xi Jinping and delivered a keynote speech at the event.
Also speaking were Jean-Claude Gakosso, Foreign Minister of the Republic of Congo; Mahmoud Ali Yusuf, African Co-Chair of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and Chairman of the AU Commission; and Taye Atske-Selassie, President of Ethiopia.
The ceremony was attended by over 200 people, including senior officials from the AU Commission and institutions, diplomats accredited to the AU from African countries, representatives of UN agencies, as well as Ethiopian officials and representatives from various sectors.
Wang Yi said that holding the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges in 2026 is an important initiative jointly agreed upon by the Chinese President and African leaders.
In his congratulatory letter, Xi Jinping elaborated on the importance of mutual learning between civilizations in advancing the modernization of China and Africa and outlined the direction and principles of China-Africa cultural and humanitarian cooperation, which demonstrated profound reflection on the history of humankind and civilization and served as an important impetus for building an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era, Wang Yi said.
China-Africa relations have a long history, and the two sides are bound by a strong, traditional friendship, the minister emphasized. In recent years, under the joint leadership of the leaders of both sides, China-Africa people-to-people exchanges have flourished and yielded fruitful results, he added.
Facts have shown that people-to-people exchanges form the most solid foundation of China-Africa friendship, and mutual learning between civilizations serves as the strongest driving force for China-Africa cooperation, Wang Yi said.
Today, the world is undergoing profound changes unseen in a century, and the international arena is experiencing significant historical shifts, the Foreign Minister stated, emphasizing that the Global South, represented by China and Africa, is steadily growing stronger.
Meanwhile, the world remains far from calm: the law of the jungle contradicts international law and the basic norms of international relations, and power politics and bullying infringe on the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries, Wang Yi noted.
In the face of a turbulent world, China and Africa need more than ever to uphold justice, strengthen solidarity and mutual support, and deepen exchanges and cooperation, he said, calling on both sides to prioritize development, put people first, support mutual learning and exchanges, and adhere to openness and inclusiveness.
African leaders said the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges is an important step in implementing the Chinese President's initiatives, stressing that Xi Jinping's congratulatory letter had inspired the African side.
They expressed confidence that the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges will open a new chapter in the history of African-Chinese relations, deepen the dialogue between the two civilizations, expand the exchange of ideas, and further strengthen the ties between the two peoples.
African countries are willing to seize this opportunity to deepen cooperation with China in culture, education, tourism, arts, youth exchanges and other areas, as well as to further develop relations between Africa and China, they said.
The African leaders also noted that the peoples of Africa and China are as close as brothers, and African-Chinese cooperation is mutually beneficial.
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