Xi Jinping Toasts FOCAC Guests With Call to Unity of “2.8 Billion-Strong Chinese and African People”

Sept. 5—At a gala dinner offered last night to guests attending the Ninth Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), President Xi Jinping offered a very appropriate and moving toast.

“To quote a Chinese poem, ‘True friends always feel close to each other, no matter the distance between them.’ I have been to Africa 10 times and hosted many African leaders in China. All our meetings have been cordial and heartwarming. They have reinforced my belief that the China-Africa community with a shared future is built on a strong foundation, has been blessed with a good start, and enjoys broad prospects. It sets a stellar example for building a community with a shared future for mankind.

“The China-Africa community with a shared future is deeply rooted in our traditional friendship,” he said. "Since the mid-20th century, we have been fighting shoulder to shoulder imperialism, colonialism, and hegemonism, and advancing hand in hand along the path of development, revitalization, and modernization. China-Africa friendship remains robust and is growing stronger through generations no matter how the world changes…

“We human beings have been dreaming of a community with a shared future, and modernization is what it takes to turn our dream into reality. China and Africa have been, and remain, pioneers in building this community, and we will stay at the forefront in pursuing modernization. I am confident that as long as the 2.8 billion-strong Chinese and African people are united for this common goal, we will accomplish new and even greater feats together on the way toward modernization, spearhead the modernization drive of the Global South, and make greater contributions to a community with a shared future for mankind.”