South African president hails FOCAC as valuable platform in enhancing China-Africa ties

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday hailed the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) as a valuable platform in enhancing ties between the two sides and in advancing development across the African continent.

In a speech at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summit of the FOCAC in Beijing, Ramaphosa noted that while countries around the world are experiencing various challenges, these are often most severely felt in Africa.

Ramaphosa also highlighted the importance of working together in a spirit of cooperation and collaboration in order to build a future that is people-centered, development-oriented, and inclusive.

Citing the deepening relations between China and Africa since the establishment of FOCAC 24 years ago, Ramaphosa thanked China for its continued assistance and welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping's proposal to elevate bilateral relations between China and all African countries to the level of strategic relations.

"This to us, shows the great importance that China attaches to its relationship with the African continent, and with individual countries on the African continent," said Ramaphosa.

This year's summit demonstrates a shared desire for modernization, development and progress, which is reflected in the 10 partnership action plans proposed by President Xi during his keynote address at Thursday's opening ceremony, Ramaphosa said.

The ten partnership action plans, which are to be implemented within the next three years, will cover the areas of mutual learning among civilizations, trade prosperity, industrial chain cooperation, connectivity, development cooperation, health, agriculture and livelihood, cultural and people-to-people exchanges, green development, and common security, Xi said during his address.

Ramaphosa said these aims will help push forward the goals of the African Union's Agenda 2063 development blueprint.

"We believe that FOCAC is a valuable forum to support the implementation of the African Union's Agenda 2063 in the 10 actions that President Xi Jinping has pronounced. We find that all of them are in line with the implementation of Agenda 2063, and we thank China for focusing on Africa's development. In the name of our common humanity, we must work together to achieve the Africa that we want, and we must work together to achieve the world that we want. This is what we are here for," he said.

The three-day FOCAC summit, which opened on Wednesday, is the largest diplomatic event hosted by China in recent years, with the highest attendance of foreign leaders.

Themed "Joining Hands to Advance Modernization and Build a High-Level China-Africa Community with a Shared Future," it aims to strengthen friendship and outline future cooperation between the two sides.

South African president hails FOCAC as valuable platform in enhancing China-Africa ties

Authorities in east China's coastal provinces Zhejiang and Jiangsu have launched emergency evacuation of residents to help mitigate the impact of Typhoon Bebinca -- the 13th typhoon of the year.

In Zhejiang's Pinghu City, communities have started the relocation work. The old town area of Xindai, home to about 1,400 permanent residents, including some 30 percent elderly, has been a focus of evacuation efforts.

Over 50 elderly residents have been evacuated to a temporary courtyard shelter, where they have plenty of space for meals and walking around. The shelter is equipped with folding beds, food, drinking water and medical staff standing by to address any health concerns.

The province also raised its emergency response for typhoon prevention to level II.

In Jiangsu Province, Nantong City has conducted comprehensive safety inspections and organized evacuations in key areas.

Nantong's Rugao Port on the Yangtze River was shutdown on Sunday afternoon.

All workers at the Zhangjiagang-Jingjiang-Rugao Bridge construction site -- located at a river shoal -- are evacuated ahead of the storm attack.

"From the temporary ferry to the Rugao-Zhangjiagang ferry, we have evacuated a total of 428 people. So far, all construction personnel of the Zhangjinggao Bridge within the scope of this construction site have been evacuated to our shelter," said Ding Xiaoxing, chief engineer of Rugao Water Affairs Department.

Authorities in Nantong has evacuated more than 1,400 people and over 200 vessels along the coastal area under its jurisdiction.

Making landfall in Shanghai on Monday morning, Typhoon Bebinca is the most powerful tropical cyclone directly hitting the Chinese financial hub in more than seven decades.

Zhejiang, Jiangsu evacuate residents as Typhoon Bebinca lands in east China