33-year fine tradition: Chinese FM’s annual first overseas visit extends China-Africa friendship

Editor’s note:

To deepen the China-Africa comprehensive strategic and cooperative partnership and boost friendly cooperation between China and Africa, Foreign Minister Qin Gang visited Ethiopia, Gabon, Angola, Benin, Egypt, the African Union Headquarters and the League of Arab States Headquarters upon invitation from Jan. 9 to 16, 2023, according to China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This is the 33rd consecutive year that Africa has been the destination of Chinese foreign ministers’ annual first overseas visit. 

To mark the Chinese foreign minister’s visit to Africa at the beginning of 2023, let’s follow People’s Daily Online to review the trajectory of China-Africa friendly cooperation, and get ready to embrace a more sustainable China-Africa partnership in the new era that will see higher quality and benefit more people.

China is the largest developing country in the world, and Africa is the continent with the largest number of developing countries. In May 1956, diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level were established between China and the Arab Republic of Egypt, inaugurating China's diplomatic relations with African countries and marking a new stage of China-Africa relations.

In 1971, the UN General Assembly at its 26th session adopted resolution 2758, restoring all the lawful rights to the People's Republic of China. Among the 76 votes in favor of China, 26 were cast by African countries, while 11 of the 23 sponsors of the draft resolution were from Africa.

The key lies in an everlasting spirit of China-Africa friendship and cooperation forged between the two sides, which features sincere friendship and equality, win-win for mutual benefit and common development, fairness and justice, and progress with the times and openness and inclusiveness. This truly captures the relations of China and Africa working together in good and hard times over the past decades, and provides a source of strength for the continuous growth of China-Africa friendly relations.