China-Africa partnership crucial for deepening South-South cooperation: Guterres

The China-Africa partnership is crucial for deepening South-South cooperation, and provides support to Africa's development in multiple areas, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) on Thursday.

The UN chief is in Beijing as a special guest at the summit, which runs from Wednesday to Friday.

Guterres said in his speech that in the current volatile geopolitical situation, South-South cooperation is indispensable in capacity building and promoting the realization of common development goals, and China-Africa cooperation plays a significant part in that.

"China's partnership with the African continent is the main pillar of South-South cooperation. Your joint efforts, based on the United Nations Charter, can create a new momentum for African development," he said.

Guterres also hailed the Global Development Initiative proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping, saying that China’s achievements in development sets an example for countries around the world.

"I underline President Xi's decision to launch the Global Development Initiative in a way that is aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals, as well as the focus on green development and promoting integrity-based cooperation, as outlined in President Xi's remarks at last year's Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation that I had the honor to attend. And I would like to highlight, as many others have done today, the partnership actions on modernization that were announced by President Xi," Guterres said.

"China's remarkable record of development, including on eradicating poverty, provides a wealth of experience and expertise. And the China-Africa partnership can drive the renewable energy revolution. It can be a catalyst for key transitions on food systems and digital connectivity and is home to some of the world's most dynamic economies. Africa can maximize the potential of China's support in areas from trade to data management, finance and technology," he said.

The three-day FOCAC summit 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," the event aims to strengthen friendship and outline future cooperation between the two sides.

China-Africa partnership crucial for deepening South-South cooperation: Guterres

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