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Gift featuring unique African tree symbolizes good wishes for China-Burkina Faso ties

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      China

      China

      Gift featuring unique African tree symbolizes good wishes for China-Burkina Faso ties

      2024-08-30 21:51 Last Updated At:08-31 00:27

      Among the exhibits displayed in the Exhibition of Diplomatic Gifts Received by China's Leaders currently on display in Beijing, a gift from Burkina Faso stands out for its deep cultural significance as a symbol of friendship and cooperation between the two nations. 

      The China-Africa relationship is once again in the spotlight as the 2024 summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) approaches. Episode 5 of CGTN's special program "Gifts of Friendship" featured a bronze sculpture of a baobab tree presented by then-Burkina Faso President Roch Marc Christian Kabore to Chinese President Xi Jinping.

      Baobab trees are a unique plant growing on the African savanna. The trees can grow to heights of several dozen meters, with trunks so thick that some can take more than 30 people holding hands to encircle. Their large, bread-shaped fruit is a favorite food for many species of monkey in the region. 

      "This copper sculpture of a baobab tree was presented to President Xi Jinping by his then-Burkina Faso counterpart Kabore during his visit to China when he attended the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in 2018 upon invitation," said Hou Chunyan, curator of the exhibition.

      In Burkina Faso and other African nations, baobab trees symbolize vitality, resilience, and adaptability. They frequently appear in social rituals and art. This artwork also showcases the rich tradition of copper sculpture in West Africa. 

      "Burkina Faso's copper-sculpting skills are renowned throughout West Africa. Copper items are often used to symbolize longevity and continuity. [This gift] not only reflects Burkina Faso's distinct cultural and geographical traits and traditional craftsmanship, but also conveys its sincere wishes for an enduring friendship and lasting peace between the two countries," said Hou. 

      The 2024 summit of the FOCAC will be held in the Chinese capital city of Beijing from Sept. 4 to 6. The summit, under the theme of "Joining Hands to Advance Modernization and Build a High-Level China-Africa Community with a Shared Future," is expected to include the participation of African heads of state, as well as representatives from regional and international African organizations involved in summit-related activities. 

      Gift featuring unique African tree symbolizes good wishes for China-Burkina Faso ties

      Gift featuring unique African tree symbolizes good wishes for China-Burkina Faso ties

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      Experts stress effective policy implementation to boost private sector growth

      2025-02-19 14:43 Last Updated At:15:07

      The national policies aimed at bolstering the private sector must be tangible and accessible to businesses and require inter-departmental coordination to ensure they achieve the intended outcomes, experts said on Tuesday.

      China on Monday held a key symposium on the private economy, which was attended by President Xi Jinping and brought together representatives from some of the country's most eminent private companies. In a speech delivered at the symposium, Xi stressed the importance of strictly implementing supportive policies and measures to advance the growth of the private sector.

      Echoing Xi's speech, Huang Hanquan, director of the Chinese Academy of Macroeconomic Research under the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), said he believed the current priority was ensuring the full and uncompromised implementation of government policies targeting the private economy.

      "A raft of policies have already been introduced [to support] the private economy. However, the key is to ensure that these policies are effectively implemented and truly accessible to the private businesses to allow them to feel the tangible benefits," Huang told CCTV.

      Bai Chong'en, dean of the School of Economics and Management at Tsinghua University, noted that during the implementation process, it is essential to ensure coordination and consistency across different policies to maximize their collective impact.

      "It's about coordination between government departments to avoid contradictions between detailed policy provisions during the implementation. As we've repeatedly emphasized, policy consistency is key. It is only when there is consensus on certain issues that we can pull together towards the same goal with one mind," said Bai.

      Monday's symposium also highlighted the government's commitment to removing obstacles that prevent private enterprises from equally accessing production factors and participating in market competition. Experts believe that several key sectors will open their door wider to private businesses.

      Official data showed that private investment in infrastructure grew by 5.8 percent in 2024, 1.4 percentage points higher than the overall growth rate for infrastructure investments. The symposium proposed continuing to promote fair access to competitive sectors of infrastructure for all kinds of market entities.

      "This means creating more space for private enterprises' development, or in other words offering wider access for them. This will allow private enterprises to have more opportunities to participate in infrastructure investments, as these investments feature relatively stable operations and returns. This is also a field that private enterprises have long been eager to enter," Huang said.

      In October 2024, China released a draft of its first basic law focused on the development of the private sector for public input. The draft, with 77 articles in nine chapters, features equal treatment and protection of private sector businesses.

      "For example, one important part of the draft of the private sector promotion law is meant to create an equal environment for competition, allowing private enterprises to equally access resources, participate in government projects, and enter the market. I believe that private enterprises are eager to make contributions, and if they are given the opportunity to do so, they will be able to achieve greater development," said Bai.

      Experts stress effective policy implementation to boost private sector growth

      Experts stress effective policy implementation to boost private sector growth

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