Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Wednesday said African countries that attended the just-concluded 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) showed that they were more determined than ever to industrialize and pursue modernization.
Mnangagwa arrived in Beijing for the 2024 Summit that took place from Wednesday to Friday and a state visit.
In an interview with China Media Group (CMG), he expressed gratitude for the warm welcome he received during the visit and highlighted the immense significance of the summit.
"On behalf of myself and my delegation, we are extremely happy for the warmth of reception we received so far in China. This is not the first time we attended this meeting between China and Africa. It's an occasion when both China and Africa share the challenges which we face, the successes which we are scoring together because we are all determined to have a future that uplifts the lives of our people. It's an occasion which we all cherish when we come together as heads of state," said Mnangagwa.
Recalling the last time the conference was held in Beijing, the Zimbabwean president said that since then he has seen significant transformations in African countries' resolve to pursue development.
"If we look at the last conference we held in 2018 and today, this has been a tremendous transformation in all respective countries because we all determined to modernize our respective countries, to industrialize our respective countries. As we come to China, which has rapidly developed and modernized its economy, we get insights into how they traveled that journey and the challenges which we face. Some have been resolved here. Instead of inventing the wheel, we've taken aboard the solutions which have been achieved by China," said the president.
African countries determined to modernize, welcome Chinese insights: Zimbabwean President
Authorities in Shanghai and neighboring eastern provinces have taken tight measures to suspend public activities as Typhoon Bebinca, the 13th this year, landed in the coastal regions on Monday morning.
The most powerful typhoon hitting Shanghai since 1949, Typhoon Bebinca made landfall in Shanghai at around 07:30 on Monday, bringing about 50 millimeters of rainfall by 08:00.
On Monday morning, a hydrological station near the Huangpu River reported that the water level had risen to 4.5 meters, nearing the height of the dyke.
The usually bustling riverbank now stands empty, with only one police vehicle on standby to monitor water levels and address emergencies.
In response to the severe weather, the city's two airports, the Shanghai Pudong International Airport and Hongqiao Airport, have canceled all flights from 20:00 on Sunday until 14:00 on Monday, with over 900 flights called off and the flight resumption remaining pending.
Additionally, all ferry services, highways and parks have been closed for safety concerns.
Coinciding with the three-day Mid-Autumn Festival starting from Sunday, the Shanghai municipal government has ordered the cancellation of all outdoor festive activities and the shutdown of illuminated attractions.
Uprooted trees are seen along roadsides, and municipal workers have been busy with clearing operations since early Monday morning.
According to the municipal meteorological observatory, the typhoon is estimated to last for 12 hours, with its impact on the metropolis likely to diminish on Tuesday.
In Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province, the municipal government elevated the emergency response to Level-1 on Sunday night, marking a rare occurrence for the city.
The city has mobilized a total of 30,000 municipal workers, including electricians and police officers, to be on call in case of any emergency.
Plus, all public bus and food delivery services have been ordered to halt operations. Similarly, construction work citywide have been asked to suspend, with workers evacuated to local gyms for shelter.
Public activities suspended in Shanghai, Jiangsu amid Typhoon Bebinca
