Just after New Year's Day, the Chinese Foreign Minister opened a trip to four African countries, highlighting the importance of China Africa relations in African media

Global Times reporters Zhao Jueyue, Zhang Han, and Global Times special correspondent in South Africa Dai Kairan: Wang Yi, member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs, will be invited to visit Namibia, Congo (Brazzaville), Chad, and Nigeria from the 5th to the 11th of this month. This is the first visit of the Chinese Foreign Minister to Africa at the beginning of 35 consecutive years. After the Beijing summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation of the Forum on China Africa Cooperation was held in 2024, and China's bilateral relations with all African countries that have established diplomatic relations were upgraded to the level of strategic relations, this visit attracted much attention.

The Executive Minister of Namibia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Penda Naanda, stated in an interview with local media that "Namibia and China are comprehensive strategic partners with deep friendship and fruitful cooperation achievements. This visit will strengthen coordination between the two countries within the framework of the Forum on China Africa Cooperation and promote pragmatic cooperation in various fields." Nigeria's "Legit" news website believes that this visit highlights the importance of China Africa relations and will promote a series of deepening pragmatic cooperation.

According to spokesperson Mao Ning of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Minister Wang Yi's visit to four African countries continues the fine tradition of Chinese Foreign Ministers visiting Africa for the first time every year in 35 years. Namibia, Congo (Brazzaville), Chad, and Nigeria are all friendly and cooperative partners of China. The purpose of Foreign Minister Wang Yi's visit is to promote the implementation of the outcomes of the Beijing summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, deepen practical cooperation in all fields, and promote the sustainable and in-depth development of China Africa relations.

According to the Nigerian news agency, it is expected that Wang Yi will hold high-level talks with the leaders and foreign ministers of the host country to discuss key topics such as trade, infrastructure development, climate change, and regional security.

Professor Song Wei from the School of International Relations at Beijing Foreign Studies University stated in an interview with Global Times on the 5th that the Chinese Foreign Minister has chosen Africa as his first New Year's visit destination for 35 consecutive years. This tradition reflects China's determination to strengthen China Africa relations and the long-standing traditional friendship between China and Africa. Song Wei said that in the past 35 years, although the international situation has been changing rapidly, China Africa relations have withstood various tests, and China Africa friendship has remained strong for a long time.

For the four countries that Wang Yi will visit this time, Song Wei believes that they represent different focuses of China Africa cooperation. She analyzed that China has extensive and in-depth cooperation with Namibia and Congo (Brazzaville) in areas such as energy and infrastructure; Chad is one of the least developed countries in West Africa, and China's assistance to Chad has made important contributions to the local economic and social development; Nigeria is the largest economy in West Africa and has significant influence in the region and the African Union. Strengthening cooperation between China and Nigeria is crucial for promoting comprehensive development throughout Africa.

Overall, these four countries have a very unique position in the development partnership map between China and Africa, "said Song Wei

An important background for China's foreign minister's visit to Africa is the Beijing summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation of the Forum on China Africa Cooperation held last September. At the summit, China proposed to elevate its bilateral relations with all African countries that have established diplomatic relations to the level of strategic relations, elevate the overall positioning of China Africa relations to an all-weather China Africa community with a shared future in the new era, and put forward that China and Africa should work together to promote the "Six Modernizations" and implement the "Ten Partnership Actions".

Mao Ning stated that the African side has responded warmly to these proposals. To implement the results of the forum, China has established a mechanism for the follow-up action committee of the forum. According to the Nigerian newspaper "Critique", the Nigerian government has established a special agency for the Nigeria China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and appointed a director general to "maintain contact with Chinese counterparts to ensure that all deliverables are achieved and synchronized with national development goals".

On the 5th, He Wenping, a researcher at the Institute of West Asian and African Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told Global Times reporters that this year can be said to be the "opening year" of the "Forum on China Africa Cooperation Beijing Action Plan (2025-2027)". Foreign Minister Wang Yi's visit to Africa will also deepen the planning and layout of future cooperation with other countries, and promote the implementation of the forum's achievements.

According to the "Legalit" news website, the "Six Modernizations" and "Ten Partnership Actions" have already made plans for the future development of China Africa cooperation, and it is expected that areas such as sharing governance experience, cultural exchanges, and the China Africa Development Knowledge Network will be the focus of Wang Yi's visit. At the same time, China Africa economic and trade cooperation is expected to further strengthen.

The all-round cooperation between China and Africa has also injected growth momentum into the 'Global South'. Song Wei believes that in the context of the collective rise of the "Global South", China and Africa are the most solid members and foundations of the "Global South". As the development and cooperation between the two sides reach the height of a 24/7 China Africa community with a shared future in the new era, this solidarity and cooperation will further consolidate the consensus of the "Global South" and promote the development of global governance towards a more just and democratic direction.