A Long-term Stable China-Africa Relationship Of All-round Cooperation

In the 50 years or more since the founding of the People?s Republic, the relations between China and African countries have consolidated and developed, and have withstood the tests of time and international vicissitudes. They have thus developed between them a new-type state-to-state relationship of sharing weal and woe, equality and mutual benefit, sincere friendship and all-round cooperation.

This relationship had developed roughly in two stages between 1949 and 1999.

The first stage covered the period between 1949 and 1979.

During this period, China established diplomatic ties with a large number of African countries. China and African countries sympathized with and respected each other on the basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful Co-existence and China?s Eight Principles for foreign aid. The China-Africa relationship grew dynamically on a solid foundation. This relationship at this stage mainly had following features.

The Chinese Government and people deeply sympathized with and vigorously supported the African countries and peoples in their just struggle against imperialism and colonialism and for national independence. China rendered forceful support to them both morally and materially.

China provided African countries with a wealth of selfless aid to help them to develop their economies and consolidate their independence, in spite of the fact that China itself was economically very difficult due to enormous imperialist pressure and embargo. In this way, China made important contribution to the national liberation and economic development of Africa. The aid project Tanzam Ralway is well known in the world.

African countries cooperated closely with China politically and supported China firmly in its great cause of national reunification and its efforts to get its lawful seat in the United Nations restored to it.

The second stage covered the period between 1979 and 1999.