On the morning of September 5, President Xi Jinping attended the opening ceremony of the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing and delivered a keynote speech. Xi Jinping announced that China's bilateral relations with all African countries with which it has diplomatic ties have been elevated to the level of strategic relations, and the overall positioning of China-Africa relations has been elevated to the all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era, and that China and Africa will implement the ten major partnership actions to jointly promote modernization.

First of all, on behalf of the Chinese government and people, Xi Jinping extended a warm welcome to the foreign guests attending the summit.

Xi Jinping pointed out that in this season of harvest, he is very happy to gather with all new and old friends in Beijing to discuss the great plans of China-Africa friendship and cooperation in the new era. China-Africa friendship transcends time and space, crosses mountains and seas, and is passed on from generation to generation. In the 24 years since the establishment of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, especially in the new era, China and African brothers and sisters have stood shoulder to shoulder and hand in hand in the world's century-old changes, firmly defending each other's legitimate rights and interests in line with the concept of sincerity, affinity and good faith; strengthening muscles and bones and strengthening physique in the tide of economic globalization, and fruitful results benefiting hundreds of millions of people in China and Africa; sharing joys and sorrows and working together in the face of major disasters and epidemics, writing touching stories of China-Africa friendship; always understanding and supporting each other, setting an example for a new type of international relations. After nearly 70 years of hard work, China-Africa relations are in the best period in history. Looking to the future, China proposes to elevate China's bilateral relations with all African countries with diplomatic ties to the level of strategic relations, and to elevate the overall positioning of China-Africa relations to an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era.

Xi Jinping pointed out that achieving modernization is an inalienable right of all countries in the world. China is unswervingly promoting the great cause of building a strong country and national rejuvenation with Chinese-style modernization. Africa is also steadily moving towards the modernization goals outlined in the AU's Agenda 2063. The dream of modernization pursued by China and Africa will surely set off a wave of modernization in the global South and write a new chapter in building a community with a shared future for mankind.

Xi Jinping proposed that China and Africa should work together to promote the "six modernizations".

--We should work together to promote fair and reasonable modernization. To promote national modernization, we must not only follow the general laws of modernization, but also conform to the actual conditions of our country. China is willing to strengthen exchanges of experience in governance with African countries, support countries in exploring a path of modernization that suits their national conditions, and ensure equal rights and opportunities for all countries.

--We should work together to promote open and win-win modernization. Mutually beneficial cooperation is a sunny road that is in line with the long-term and fundamental interests of all countries. China is willing to deepen cooperation with Africa in the fields of industry, agriculture, infrastructure, trade and investment, set a benchmark for high-quality joint construction of the "Belt and Road", and jointly create a model for implementing global development initiatives.

--We should work together to promote modernization that puts people first. Realizing the free and all-round development of people is the ultimate goal of modernization. China is willing to actively carry out cooperation with Africa in areas such as talent training, poverty reduction, and employment, enhance people's sense of gain, happiness, and security in the process of modernization, and jointly promote modernization to benefit all people.

--We should work together to promote a diversified and inclusive modernization. Achieving the coordinated development of material and spiritual civilizations is a lofty pursuit of modernization. China is willing to strengthen cultural exchanges with Africa, advocate mutual respect, tolerance and coexistence of different civilizations, and jointly promote the Global Civilization Initiative to bear more fruit.

--We should work together to promote eco-friendly modernization. Green development is a distinctive symbol of modernization in the new era. China is willing to help Africa build a "green growth engine", narrow the energy accessibility gap, adhere to the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, and jointly promote global green and low-carbon transformation.

--We should work together to promote the modernization of peace and security. Modernization is inseparable from a peaceful and stable development environment. China is willing to help Africa enhance its ability to independently maintain peace and stability, promote the implementation of global security initiatives in Africa first, promote the positive interaction between high-quality development and high-level security, and jointly maintain world peace and stability.

Xi Jinping stressed that China and Africa account for one-third of the world's total population. Without the modernization of China and Africa, there will be no modernization of the world. In the next three years, China is willing to work with Africa to promote the Ten Major Partnership Actions for Modernization, deepen China-Africa cooperation, and lead the modernization of the global South.

First, the Civilization Mutual Learning Partnership Action. China is willing to build a governance experience exchange platform with Africa, establish a China-Africa development knowledge network and 25 China-Africa research centers, and invite 1,000 African political party leaders to China for exchanges.

Second, the Trade Prosperity Partnership Action. China is willing to take the initiative to unilaterally expand market opening and has decided to grant zero tariff treatment to 100% of tariff items of all the least developed countries that have established diplomatic relations with China, including 33 African countries, to promote the Chinese market to become a big opportunity for Africa. Expand access for African agricultural products, deepen cooperation in e-commerce and other fields, and implement the "China-Africa Quality Improvement Plan". China is willing to negotiate and sign a framework agreement on economic partnership for common development with Africa to provide long-term, stable and predictable institutional guarantees for China-Africa trade and investment.

Third, the industrial chain partnership action. China is willing to build an industrial cooperation growth circle with Africa, focus on building a pilot zone for in-depth economic and trade cooperation between China and Africa, launch the "African Small and Medium Enterprises Empowerment Plan", jointly build a China-Africa Digital Technology Cooperation Center, and build 20 digital demonstration projects.

Fourth, the connectivity partnership action. China is willing to implement 30 infrastructure connectivity projects in Africa, work together to promote high-quality joint construction of the "Belt and Road", and build a China-Africa connectivity network that integrates land and sea and develops in a coordinated manner. It will provide assistance for the construction of the African Continental Free Trade Area, deepen logistics and financial cooperation, and promote cross-regional development in Africa.

Fifth, development partnership actions. China is willing to jointly issue a joint statement with Africa to deepen cooperation within the framework of the Global Development Initiative, implement 1,000 "small but beautiful" livelihood projects, inject capital into the China-World Bank Partnership Fund, support the hosting of the 2026 Youth Olympic Games and the 2027 African Cup, and promote the development results to better benefit the Chinese and African people.

Sixth, health partnership action. China is willing to establish a China-Africa Hospital Alliance with Africa and build a joint medical center. China will send 2,000 medical teams to Africa, implement 20 medical and anti-malarial projects, promote Chinese companies to invest in drug production, and continue to provide assistance to the epidemic in Africa to the best of its ability. China will support the construction of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and enhance the public health capabilities of African countries.

Seventh, the partnership action to promote agriculture and benefit the people. China will provide 1 billion yuan of emergency food aid to Africa, build 100,000 mu of agricultural standardization demonstration areas, send 500 agricultural experts, and build a China-Africa agricultural science and technology innovation alliance. Implement 500 public welfare projects. Encourage Chinese and African companies to "run in both directions" to invest and start businesses, and create no less than 1 million jobs for Africa.

Eighth, the People-to-People Exchange Partnership Action. China is willing to work with Africa to further promote the "Future African Vocational Education" plan, jointly build an engineering and technology college, and build 10 "Luban Workshops". Focus on African women and youth, and provide 60,000 training places. Jointly implement the China-Africa "Cultural Silk Road" plan and the "Radio, Television and Audio-visual Innovation Cooperation Plan". Designate 2026 as the "China-Africa People-to-People Exchange Year".

Ninth, green development partnership action. China is willing to implement 30 clean energy projects in Africa, build a meteorological early warning business platform, and carry out cooperation in disaster prevention, mitigation, relief and biodiversity protection. China will establish a China-Africa Forum on the Peaceful Use of Nuclear Technology, and carry out cooperation in satellite remote sensing, lunar and deep space exploration to help Africa achieve green development.

Tenth, security partnership action. China is willing to establish a partnership with Africa to implement the Global Security Initiative, train 6,000 military personnel and 1,000 police law enforcement personnel for Africa, and invite 500 young officers to visit China. Carry out joint exercises and training and joint patrols between the Chinese and African militaries, implement the "Action to Help Africa Get Rid of Mine Hazards", and jointly maintain the safety of personnel and projects.

To promote the implementation of the "Ten Partners Initiative", the Chinese government is willing to provide strong support for practical cooperation between China and Africa in various fields.

Xi Jinping finally emphasized that the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee has made systematic arrangements for further deepening reform and promoting Chinese-style modernization. This will further profoundly change China, and will also provide new opportunities and inject new impetus for African countries and the dream of modernization pursued by China and Africa. There is an African proverb that "people who are on the same path are true friends." No one can be left behind on the road to modernization, and no country can be left behind. Let us gather the tremendous strength of more than 2.8 billion Chinese and African people, work together on the journey of modernization, promote the modernization of the global South with the modernization of China and Africa, draw a new picture in the history of human development, and jointly promote the world towards a bright future of peace, security, prosperity and progress!

President Faye of Senegal, co-chair of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, President Ghazwani of Mauritania, the rotating chair of the AU, African sub-regional representatives including President Ramaphosa of South Africa, President Sassou of the Republic of Congo, President Tinubu of Nigeria, President Hassan of Tanzania, special guest of the summit and UN Secretary-General Guterres, and Chairman of the AU Commission Faki also delivered speeches at the opening ceremony.

The African leaders thanked China for hosting the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation. They spoke highly of the profound traditional friendship between Africa and China and the positive results achieved since the establishment of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, especially since the 2018 Beijing Summit. They highly appreciated President Xi Jinping's proposal of the "Ten Partnership Actions" for China and Africa to jointly promote modernization. They said that the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation is not only an effective platform for promoting the development of the China-Africa partnership, but has also become a shining example of leading South-South cooperation. Forum cooperation is based on friendship, respect and mutual benefit and win-win results. China's cooperation with Africa does not carry any political conditions, which has greatly promoted the connectivity and economic and social development of African countries. Under the current complex and turbulent international situation, deepening cooperation with China has become the hope for African countries to achieve security, stability and sustainable development. Africa and China share similar ideas. Africa highly appreciates and fully supports President Xi Jinping's important concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind and the Belt and Road Initiative, the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative. Africa is willing to work with China to advocate common values for all mankind and support countries in exploring a path of modernization that suits their national conditions. Africa firmly adheres to the one-China policy, firmly supports all efforts made by the Chinese government to achieve national reunification, and resolutely opposes external forces interfering in China's internal affairs under the pretext of Taiwan, human rights and other issues. The African side congratulated the successful convening of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee and believed that China's further comprehensive deepening of reform and promotion of Chinese-style modernization will bring more development opportunities to countries around the world, including African countries. The African side is willing to continue to uphold the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and the spirit of China-Africa friendly cooperation with China, actively implement the outcomes of this summit, work together to promote industrialization and agricultural modernization, build an all-weather Africa-China community with a shared future in the new era, and jointly move towards a bright future of peace, security, prosperity and progress.