On January 9, 2024, Ambassador Zhao Weiping published an article entitled “Pushing Forward China-Africa Community of Shared Future” in the Namibian Sun. The full text is as follows:

To build a Global Community of Shared Future is the core idea of Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy and the noble goal of China’s major country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics, which is one of the key messages delivered by China’s Central Conference on Work Relating to Foreign Affairs recently held in Beijing. This important announcement was of special significance since it came at a critical moment when China dwelt upon its diplomatic achievements of the past 10 years and chartered its future course. It’s necessary for everyone who follows international relations to learn about this latest development in China’s diplomatic undertaking.

The idea of building a global community of shared future was first put forward by President Xi Jinping in 2013, which has developed from a conceptual proposition to a scientific system of theory over the past ten years. The Central Conference made a new summary of this vision and emphasized in particular that China calls for an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization. To accurately comprehend the trajectory of China’s diplomacy in the new era, one must have an in-depth understanding of  the essence of the global community of shared future.

It’s clear from the Central Conference that, in building a community with a shared future for mankind, the goal is to build an open, inclusive, clean and beautiful world of lasting peace, universal security and shared prosperity, the pathway is promoting global governance that features extensive consultation and joint contribution for shared benefit, the guiding principle is to apply the common values of humanity, the basic underpinning lies in building a new type of international relations, the strategic guidance comes from the implementation of the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative, and the platform for action is high-quality Belt and Road cooperation.

“China and Africa have always been a community with a shared future”, as President Xi Jinping firmly stated during his visit to Tanzania in 2013. We share similar sufferings and struggle in our histories, and are faced with the same tasks of development. We both aspire for a multipolar world and greater democracy in international relations. Over the past few decades, China, as the world’s largest developing country, and Africa, as the continent home to most developing countries, have always supported each other through thick and thin. In today’s world undergoing changes unseen in a century, it is all the more important for China and Africa to stand together.

China-Africa community of a shared future is an important part of a global community of shared future. At the 2018 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), China and Africa issued the Beijing Declaration-Toward an Even Stronger China-Africa Community with a Shared Future, in which the two sides agreed to build a China-Africa community of shared future characterized by joint responsibility, win-win cooperation, happiness for all, cultural prosperity, common security, and harmony between humanity and nature.

Under the guidance of China-Africa community of shared future, China has made a great stride in forging ahead friendly cooperation with Africa and achieved enormous results. The two sides have consistently steered the development of bilateral relations through close high-level exchanges, staunchly defended the overall interests of developing countries in international affairs, successfully defeated COVID-19 through solidarity and cooperation, and always maintained the strong development momentum of economic and trade cooperation. These accomplishments have not only brought tangible benefits to people in China and Africa, but also contributed positively to the promotion of global peace, stability and development.

Looking ahead to the future, and guided by the spirit of Central Conference on Work Relating to Foreign Affairs, the Chinese side will devote itself to further building high-level China-Africa community of shared future, and elevating China-Africa practical cooperation to a new level in a more robust way and with more solid measures.

We will uphold the principles, put forth by President Xi Jinping, of sincerity, real results, amity and good faith, and continue to support the social and economic development of African countries with greater efforts. China, as good friend, partner and brother to African countries, will always be keen to listen to Africa's voice, value Africa’s ideas and support Africa’s aspirations.

We will enhance strategic complementarity with Agenda 2063 of the African Union and national development strategies of African countries through Belt and Road cooperation and FOCAC.

We will work with African friends to implement the Initiative of Supporting Africa’s Industrialization, the Plan for China Supporting Africa’s Agricultural Modernization and the Plan for China-Africa Cooperation on Talent Development announced by President Xi Jinping on China-Africa Leaders’ Dialogue held last year in Johannesburg.

We will strengthen coordination and collaboration with Africa on major international and regional issues such as climate change, energy transition and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, continue to vigorously safeguard the overall interests of developing countries including African countries, and work for fairer and more equitable global governance and international order.

As the year of 2024 greets us with great hopes, I, as the Chinese Ambassador to Namibia, see enormous potential in the development of China-Namibia relations. I believe in the new era of China’s advocating for building a global community of shared future, China-Namibia relations will enjoy more opportunities of development which will bring more benefits to our two peoples.