Wang Yi Describes China’s Partnership with Africa To Escape ‘Underdevelopment Trap’

Nov. 25, 2019 (EIRNS)—China will help Africa out of the “underdevelopment trap” and realize the “African dream” at an early date, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Nov. 23, while attending the Group of 20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Nagoya, Japan. Xinhua reported his statements yesterday.

Wang said that Africa has an annual infrastructure investment gap of $100 billion. China’s infrastructure projects in Africa generate more than $50 billion in revenue every year, he said. For example, the Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway has created nearly 50,000 local jobs, driving Kenya’s economic growth up by about 1.5%, Wang said, explaining that China-Africa cooperation is part of South-South cooperation.

He told his fellow foreign ministers that China’s Belt and Road Initiative is highly compatible with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the African Union’s Agenda 2063, and development strategies of African countries, forming a strong synergy for promoting common development.

In order to better help Africa achieve sustainable development, it is necessary to focus on solving the three major development bottlenecks, he said, naming lagging infrastructure, lack of talent, and capital shortage, while solving the three livelihood issues of employment, food and clothing, and health.

So far, China has helped Africa build more than 10,000 km of roads, more than 6,000 km of railways, and a large number of libraries, schools, hospitals, and other livelihood facilities throughout the continent, greatly promoting local development.