China’s envoy said Africa is entering a new phase of modernisation and global influence.
While US President Donald Trump is threatening to exclude South Africa from next year’s G20 meeting, Pretoria has received staunch support from China, which praised the recent hosting of the G20 summit in Johannesburg.
China’s ambassador to South Africa, Wu Peng, speaking at the launch in Johannesburg of the fifth book by Chinese President Xi Jinping’s about that country’s governance, said “there is a new awakening in Africa”.
China’s view of Africa
“Africa is steadily advancing towards the goals of industrialisation, connectivity and poverty reduction,” he said.
“China hopes to work with African countries to advance modernisation, play a leading role in the modernisation of the global south, and make greater contributions to building a community with a shared future for mankind.”
Wu added: “China believes that South Africa is and always will be a crucial and constructive member of the G20.” Wu highlighted that Xi’s book illustrates the historical trajectory of China’s path and its contributions to the world.
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“China is a major country with a population of over 1.4 billion and we have no other country to copy from in the path to our modernisation,” said Wu.
“The book explains how China has pursued its own path around the central task of Chinese-style modernisation, eradicated absolute poverty and built a moderately prosperous society in all respects.”
Lessons for global governance and South Africa’s development path
Minister in the Presidency for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Maropene Ramokgopa said for policymakers, scholars and development practitioners across the globe, Xi’s writings provide a window into how China interprets and responds to global challenges.
China’s development and transformation are an inspiration for the global south and provide lessons in governance and nation-building. Ramokgopa said China’s developmental trajectory provides important lessons for South Africa “on strategic persistence, coherence in national objectives and their attainment, and deepening state capacity”.
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