Chinese President Xi Jinping Writes Back to African Scholars

In early August, Gert Grobler, senior research fellow at the Institute of African Studies at Zhejiang Normal University and a former senior diplomat in the South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation, together with 63 scholars from 50 African countries, sent a joint letter to Chinese President Xi Jinping.

In this letter, they extended their warmest congratulations on the successful convening of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, and highly appreciated the historic achievements of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). They hoped the new FOCAC summit would write a new chapter for building a China-Africa community with a shared future and modernising the Global South.

On 27 August, President Xi Jinping wrote a letter back to the scholars, encouraging them to continue to provide intellectual support for building a high-level China-Africa community with a shared future and safeguarding the common interests of the Global South.

Full text of President Xi Jinping’s letter:

Beijing, August 27, 2024

Dear African Scholars,

I hope this letter finds you all well. Fourteen years ago when I was on a visit to South Africa, I attended the Opening Ceremony of the Seminar Celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the Establishment of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) and had a friendly exchange of views with you on China-Africa relations. I would like to express my appreciation for your commitment to studies on China and China-Africa relations, and the platform you have provided for our African friends to know more about China's history, culture and endeavours in the new era.

Since China entered the new era, the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese people have worked with exceptional drive and vigour, and scored great historic achievements in the cause of the Party and the country. The Third Plenum of the 20th CPC Central Committee was held not long ago. It sounded the clarion call for further deepening reform and opening broader horizon for Chinese modernization. A growing China committed to peace and development as well as reform and opening up will bolster the forces for world peace and international justice, and inject boundless energy into modernization of the wider world, and development and revitalization of the Global South in particular.

China and Africa have always been a community with a shared future. In a turbulent and changing world, China and Africa need to strive for greater solidarity and cooperation than ever before. In the upcoming FOCAC Summit, Chinese and African leaders will meet again to chart the course for China-Africa cooperation and envision a brighter future for China-Africa relations. I hope that you will, building on the China-Africa Dar es Salaam Consensus, conduct further studies on the development paths of the Global South and on China-Africa and South-South cooperation, and continue to offer important intellectual support for building a high-quality China-Africa community with a shared future and upholding the common interests of the Global South.

I look forward to more insights from you.

(Signed) Xi Jinping

President

The People’s Republic of China