GITEGA, June 24 (Xinhua) -- Africa-China relations exemplify model South-South cooperation, based on mutual respect, solidarity, and shared benefits, the current Chairperson of the African Union (AU) and Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye has said.
The year 2026 marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and African countries. "For 70 years, despite global geopolitical and economic changes, Africa and China have moved forward together with sincerity and trust," Ndayishimiye told Xinhua in a recent interview in Gitega, Burundi's political capital.
Africa-China relations have a solid historical foundation, rooted not only in the deep friendship between African and Chinese peoples, but also in shared values, which are the principle of cooperation that respects the sovereignty of states and is mutually beneficial, and the promotion of a peaceful world where international law and negotiation take precedence over conflict, Ndayishimiye noted.
Effective May 1, China has implemented a zero-tariff policy on products from 53 African countries with which it maintains diplomatic relations, an expansion from the zero-tariff treatment for 100 percent tariff lines from 33 countries in Africa with which it has diplomatic relations, including Burundi, since Dec. 1, 2024.
Ndayishimiye said China's zero-tariff policy offers significant opportunities for African countries, including Burundi, by contributing to "higher incomes for our products, the creation of sustainable jobs for our youth, and, above all, the development of local processing so that added value remains on the African continent."
In September 2024, Burundi and China elevated bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership. "For the people of Burundi as well as for the Chinese people, this elevation will translate into concrete actions: more economic opportunities, development projects, educational and technological cooperation, and strengthened people-to-people exchanges," he said.
Agriculture is a key area of cooperation between the two countries. Ndayishimiye noted that assistance from Chinese experts has enabled Burundi to significantly increase rice yields, which has directly contributed to improving the country's food and nutritional security and to a significant increase in the incomes of rice-farming households.
Chinese experts have shared their expertise, training many young Burundians in modern rice-growing techniques, agricultural mechanization, and post-harvest processing, the president said.
Having visited China several times, Ndayishimiye said that China had deeply impressed him. "I saw people in control of their own future, driven by remarkable collective discipline and a will to progress. I saw a president deeply committed to the development of his people, the defense of their interests, and the promotion of a more just and multipolar world," he said.
For Ndayishimiye, "China's modernization is one of the greatest development epics humanity has ever witnessed." China has lifted hundreds of millions of people out of poverty, built world-class infrastructure, developed cutting-edge industry and technology, and elevated its economy to the ranks of the world's leading economies.
The African continent is currently mobilizing to implement the second ten-year plan of Agenda 2063, and this year marks the start of China's 15th Five-Year Plan. "Our visions align with each other because our goals are the same: development through our own efforts, for the benefit of our peoples. We are convinced that Africa-China cooperation will continue to play a major role in the continent's economic transformation," he said, expressing the hope that Africa-China cooperation will continue to intensify and diversify in sectors such as infrastructure, modern agriculture, health, digital technologies, trade, and investment.
Today, transformations unseen in a century are unfolding at a fast pace, and the Global South stands out with its strong momentum. The president said Africa and China share a common vision of the international order, "a multipolar, more equitable world, where the voice of the nations of the Global South is heard and respected." This is a valuable consensus in a global context marked by tensions and reconfigurations, he noted.
The Africa-China partnership "is forward-looking, toward a sovereign, industrialized, and prosperous Africa that moves forward alongside a great and respectful China," Ndayishimiye said. "That is the vision of a community with a shared future." Enditem
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