The Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) is not only an effective mechanism for boosting China-Africa pragmatic cooperation but also a hallmark of South-South cooperation, Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Monday.
Xi made the remarks during talks with visiting Guinean President Mamady Doumbouya, who is in Beijing for the FOCAC summit.
Noting that Guinea was the first sub-Saharan African country to establish diplomatic relations with China, Xi said the two countries will celebrate the 65th anniversary of their bilateral ties next month. "Strengthening solidarity and cooperation with Africa and other developing countries is the cornerstone of China's diplomacy. The FOCAC is not only an effective mechanism for boosting China-Africa pragmatic cooperation but also a hallmark of South-South cooperation. I'm willing to work closely with you to ensure the success of this FOCAC summit," Xi said.
Doumbouya reiterated that Guinea recognizes that there is only one China in the world and that is the People's Republic of China. Guinea also congratulates China on its achievements in economic and social development, he said, adding that China's advanced development concepts and successful experience serve as a valuable reference for Guinea.
FOCAC is hallmark of South-South cooperation: Xi
FOCAC is hallmark of South-South cooperation: Xi
FOCAC is hallmark of South-South cooperation: Xi
FOCAC is hallmark of South-South cooperation: Xi
At the final day of the 47th WorldSkills Competition in the French city of Lyon, the race for medals heated up, with participants from roughly 70 nations showing their mettle.
Formerly known as the International Vocational Training Organization, WorldSkills is an international charity, which organizes national championships for vocational skills. Every two years, the organization hosts a competition, attracting competitors from around the world.
This year's competition ran from Wednesday to Saturday, with the closing ceremony on Sunday. The event brought together approximately 1,400 participants from nearly 70 countries and regions to compete in 59 skill categories spanning vocations ranging from artwork to welding.
China sent 68 participants to participated in 59 different disciplines.
Teams say it is a collaborative environment, but winning gold can help make their professional career's sparkle.
"I think it's for their career, for the whole of their life. And then they can join this field and they can have a very good start of their journey, their life," said Zou Ningxin, a jewelry expert of Team China.
Medals may be up for the grabs but the goal of the biannual Workskills Expo is also for crowds here to draw inspiration.
This event is designed to give people a little taste of different parts of the working world and what ingredients are needed to be successful in a chosen career.
The expo also gives delegations the opportunity to learn from one another.
"They're able to come here and see how they match up against other countries. It's a benchmarking system as well as an individual assessment of the competitors who are representing their nation," said Shawna Bourke, director of Marketing and Communications of the WorldSkills International.
This biannual event is seen as an opportunity to try and address shared problems like water pollution.
"Urban water sewage treatment and industrial water reuse are the fundamental ways to solve this problem. So water technology is very important today," said Wang Zhan, water technology expert of Team China.
Several days of tough competition culminates in a medal ceremony. And the hope is that these competitors will inspire a new generation of skilled workers to come out of the woodwork.
Shanghai is scheduled to play host to the competition's 48th edition in September 2026.
Race for medals heats up on last day of 47th WorldSkills Competition
