China never absent from helping Africa achieve peace and security: Chinese FM

UNITED NATIONS - China has never been absent from helping Africa achieve peace and security, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here Thursday.

China and African countries are good friends, brothers and partners, said Wang while addressing a Security Council meeting on peace and security in Africa.

More than 2,000 Chinese peacekeepers are guarding peace in five UN missions in Africa, he said.

Moreover, the Chinese navy has been conducting escort missions in the Gulf of Aden and waters off the Somali coast for more than a decade, escorting over 6,700 ships in more than 1,200 missions.

Wang said that China supports Africa in strengthening its capacity to safeguard peace and security.

In September 2015, China announced the establishment of the China-UN peace and development fund, which gives priority to supporting peacekeeping, counter-terrorism and sustainable development in Africa, said Wang.

So far, 34 Africa-related projects have been launched through the fund, making it a new platform for trilateral cooperation between China, Africa and the United Nations, he added.

China will continue to stand firmly with Africa on the road to realize the continent's peaceful development, he added.