Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has urged the international community to listen to Africa’s voice, address its concerns, and support its efforts to forge a new development path centered on self-reliance and self-strengthening. Speaking at a press conference on Friday during the annual session of China’s national legislature, Wang emphasized the critical importance of Africa’s stability and development to the future of humanity. "There can be no global modernization without African modernization," he stated, underscoring the continent’s pivotal role in achieving a more equitable and sustainable world.

Wang highlighted the historic strength of China-Africa relations, describing the two regions as "good friends, good partners, and good brothers with a shared future." He noted that China has established strategic partnerships with all African countries that maintain diplomatic ties with Beijing, and the China-Africa community with a shared future has been elevated to an "all-weather" level, reflecting the depth and resilience of their collaboration.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), a cornerstone of the partnership that has driven significant economic and infrastructural development across Africa. Over the past 25 years, China has supported the construction or upgrading of nearly 100,000 kilometers of roads and more than 10,000 kilometers of railways on the continent. These projects have improved intra-African connectivity and facilitated trade, economic growth, and regional integration. In the last three years alone, Chinese enterprises have created over 1.1 million jobs in Africa, contributing to local economies and improving livelihoods.

China has remained Africa’s largest trading partner for 16 consecutive years, with bilateral trade reaching record levels. Wang described China-Africa cooperation as "visible, tangible, and truly beneficial" to African people, emphasizing that the partnership extends beyond infrastructure and trade to include healthcare, education, technology transfer, and capacity building. These efforts align with Africa’s aspirations to reduce dependency on external aid and pursue sustainable, self-driven development.

Wang’s remarks come at a time when Africa is increasingly asserting its voice on the global stage, seeking partnerships that prioritize mutual respect and shared benefits. The call for self-reliance and self-strengthening resonates with the continent’s goals of achieving greater autonomy and resilience in the face of global challenges such as climate change, economic inequality, and geopolitical instability.