Visit carries forward momentum of cooperation: China Daily editorial

The ongoing visit by Foreign Minister Wang Yi to Egypt, Tunisia, Togo and Cote d'Ivoire, from Saturday to Thursday, continues the 34-year tradition of African countries being the first destinations of the year for China's foreign minister.

That this tradition has been maintained for so many years speaks volumes about how unbreakable and sincere the friendship between China and Africa is. No matter how the international situation changes, the country's endeavor to strengthen ties with African countries remains unchanged.

At the China-Africa Leaders' Dialogue in South Africa in August last year, the African leaders thanked China for supporting African integration and for its indispensable cooperation in their quest for modernization and for the assistance it has provided in times of need.

The ninth Forum on China-Africa Cooperation will be held in Beijing later this year, which will undoubtedly further promote cooperation between the two sides. Egypt, Tunisia, Togo and Cote d'Ivoire have long been China's partners and Wang's visit will further promote China's ties with them. Wang's visit also aims to promote the implementation of what was achieved at the China-Africa Leaders' Dialogue last August in Johannesburg, and make preparations for this year's Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

At last year's dialogue, China issued blueprints for its support of Africa's industrialization, agricultural modernization and the training of its personnel, which received a warm response from African countries. The cooperation between the two sides brings about win-win results, and all of China's cooperation projects with African countries are aimed at resolving the structural issues hindering their development. None of them targets any third party.

The sustainability of cooperation between the two sides in various areas points to the fact that China is a responsible partner which sincerely hopes that its cooperation with African countries will help them shake off poverty and realize industrialization and modernization.

China's support has helped provide African countries with opportunities to secure positions in the global industry and supply chains by leveraging their comparative advantages of labor costs and resources.

That China never attaches any political conditions to its investment or cooperation projects to African countries speaks volumes about the earnestness with which it extends a helping hand.

It is believed that Wang's visit will consolidate ties with the four countries and serve to further boost the cooperative relations between China and African countries.