China has always adhered to common development with African countries

"The historic achievements of Chinese path to modernization have inspired African countries, and African countries can also explore their own modernization path based on their own national conditions." Ivy Semanda, the founder of Uganda Think Tank Development Observation Center, said in an exclusive interview with our reporter recently that China's economy and society have achieved rapid development in the past few decades, made remarkable development achievements, and also brought opportunities for the development of other countries. African countries can learn from China and explore development paths that suit themselves.

Semanda has studied abroad in China and visited rural areas around Wuhan multiple times. He greatly admires China for winning the battle against poverty and fully implementing the strategy of rural revitalization. China's comprehensive elimination of absolute poverty is a vivid interpretation of the people-centered development philosophy. China has made tremendous contributions to the world's poverty reduction cause and provided useful references for poverty reduction and development in African countries, "said Semanda.

Semanda believes that platforms such as the China International Import Expo, the China Africa Economic and Trade Expo, and the China Import and Export Fair have opened the door for Uganda's high-quality specialty products to directly enter the Chinese market. China has granted Uganda zero tariff treatment for 98% of its taxable products, which has promoted Uganda's exports of products to China, especially benefiting local farmers greatly from the trade between the two countries. China has also sent agricultural technology experts to Uganda, trained a large number of technical personnel, and imparted practical technology and experience to farmers, effectively promoting Uganda's agricultural development.

In Zemanda's view, the high-quality co construction of the "the Belt and Road" has greatly improved the level of infrastructure construction in Uganda, created a large number of jobs, increased the income of local people, and promoted the local economic and social development. Semanda gave an example that the opening of the Kampala Entebbe Airport expressway has shortened the originally 2-hour journey to 40 minutes, greatly improving the commuting efficiency of local residents; The Isimba Hydropower Station and Karuma Hydropower Station have changed the backward development of hydropower in Uganda, alleviated the power shortage situation, and helped Uganda's industrialization process; The Zhongwumbale Industrial Park has effectively promoted the development of local manufacturing industry, increased employment opportunities, and brought tangible benefits to the people of Uganda.

China is a reliable friend and sincere partner of Africa, "said Semanda. In the 1970s, China helped African brothers build the Tanzania Zambia Railway and supported the development of infrastructure in Africa. China has always adhered to the common development with African countries and promoted the construction of an Africa China community with a shared future through practical actions. In cooperation with China, African countries have felt full respect

Semanda said that the world is facing problems and challenges such as weak economic recovery, food crisis, poverty, and climate change, and no country can be alone. China has put forward a global development initiative, committed to addressing global development challenges, responding promptly to concerns from all parties, and contributing to the implementation of the United Nations' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development