Xi Jinping Chairs Extraordinary China-Africa Summit on Solidarity Against COVID-19 and Gives a Keynote Speech

Xi Jinping Chairs Extraordinary China-Africa Summit on Solidarity Against COVID-19 and Gives a Keynote Speech

On the evening of June 17， President Xi Jinping chaired the Extraordinary China-Africa Summit on Solidarity Against COVID-19 in Beijing， during which he gave a keynote speech entitled， “Defeating COVID-19 with Solidarity and Cooperation.”

In his speech， President Xi Jinping highlighted that in the face of COVID-19， China and Africa have offered mutual support， fought shoulder to shoulder， enhanced solidarity， and strengthened friendship and mutual trust.

Xi expressed Chinas commitment to continue helping African countries by providing supplies， sending expert teams， and facilitating Africas procurement of medical supplies in China. China pledges that once the development and deployment of a COVID-19 vaccine is completed in China， African countries will be among the first to benefit.

Xi also indicated that within the FOCAC framework， China will cancel the debts of relevant African countries in the form of interest-free government loans that are due to mature by the end of 2020.

Participating foreign leaders described the summit as another strong testimony to the close， resilient friendship between Africa and China. Africa deeply appreciates Chinas valuable assistance and help in its response to COVID-19. The African leaders reaffirmed their firm commitment to the AfricaChina comprehensive strategic and cooperative partnership.

The summit was attended by state leaders of South Africa， Senegal， Egypt， Congo， Algeria， Gabon， Kenya， Mali， Niger， Nigeria， Rwanda， Zimbabwe， and Ethiopia， as well as Chairperson of the AU Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres of the United Nations （UN） and Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus of the World Health Organization （WHO） were invited as special guests to the summit.

Premier Li Meets with German Chancellor via Video Link

Premier Li Keqiang met with German Chancellor Angela Merkel via video link at the Great Hall of the People on June 11.

Li said China is ready to work with Germany to intensify experience-sharing on COVID-19 response and cooperation in the research and development of drugs and vaccines to deliver more benefits to people of both countries.

Li underscored the imperative for China and Germany to pursue wider two-way opening and make the most of the fasttrack service for flow of personnel back and forth to facilitate business cooperation and reopening of economic activities and keep the industrial and supply chains secure and stable.

With Germany assuming EU presidency in the second half of this year， Li expressed the hope for an active role by Germany in advancing China-EU relations. He called for efforts by China and the EU to maintain high-level exchanges and various dialogue mechanisms， strive for the early conclusion of the China-EU investment agreement negotiations， and to push for positive outcomes in their cooperation across the board.

Merkel said that Germany welcomes Chinas commitment to further openingup and will advance bilateral cooperation in various areas. She commended Chinas readiness to make its COVID-19 vaccine a global public good， and supported closer cooperation between the two countriesvaccine developers. She said that under EU presidency in the second half of this year， Germany will work with China to make sound preparations for high-level EUChina exchanges， advance existing dialogue mechanisms， speed up investment agreement negotiations， and seek further growth of Germany-China and EU-China relations.

China， EU Hold 10th Round of High-Level Strategic Dialogue

On June 9， State Councilor and Foreign Minster Wang Yi and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell co-chaired the 10th round of China-EU high-level strategic dialogues， which was conducted via video link.

Wang highlighted the need for the two sides to further promote high-level exchanges. It is particularly important to make sound preparations for the China-EU leaders meeting and the ChinaEU summit， to provide strong guidance and impetus for ChinaEU relations， he pointed out. Wang then stressed the need for the two sides to jointly facilitate the recovery of economic activities， keep China-Europe supply and industrial chains stable， step up experience-sharing on public health and emergency management， and collaborate in the research and development of vaccines and medicine.

Wang noted that the two sides should strengthen communication and coordination on macroeconomic policies， pursue further openness and cooperation， and conclude China-EU investment agreement negotiations on schedule.

Borrell said that the EU values Chinas important role in the international arena， and seeks to engage China in dialogue and cooperation， not conflict or confrontation， in a spirit of mutual respect. The EU has high expectations for its relations with China. It will work with China to ensure positive outcomes of the EU-China leaders meeting and the EU-China summit， jointly plan for and advance practical cooperation in various areas， and conclude the negotiations on the EU-China investment agreement within the year as scheduled， so as to forge a closer EU-China relationship.