There is always vast space for African countries in China's endeavor to expand high-standard opening up, and China will never be absent from Africa's pursuit of development and revitalization, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian on Friday.
China officially started to give zero-tariff treatment for 100 percent tariff lines to least developed countries (LDCs) this week, which received extensive welcome from Africa, as it has the biggest number of countries benefiting from the policy.
"President Xi Jinping announced at the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) this year that China will give all LDCs having diplomatic relations with China, including 33 countries in Africa, zero-tariff treatment for 100 percent tariff lines. This gives quality products from African countries more convenient and faster access to the big market of China, and will further boost Africa's industrial development, and help Africa improve employment and accelerate poverty alleviation. China is the first major developing country and major economy in the world to roll out this policy, and this demonstrates China's commitment to high-standard opening up," Lin said at a regular press briefing.
China upholds the principle of sincerity, real results, amity and good faith and the principle of pursuing the greater good and shared interests in developing friendly ties and enhancing cooperation with Africa. Aside from the zero-tariff treatment, China has also opened and expanded the "green lanes" for African agricultural products, provided facilitation for African companies’ participation in major expos, including the China International Import Expo and the China International Supply Chain Expo, built bridges for unique products from Africa to enter the global market, deepened cooperation with Africa on vocational training and human resources, and helped African countries improve capacity building in trade, the spokesman said.
"There is always vast space for African brothers in China's endeavor to expand high-standard opening up; and China will never be absent from Africa's pursuit of development and revitalization. At this year's FOCAC Summit in Beijing, President Xi Jinping put forward six features of the modernization that China and Africa should jointly advance and ten partnership actions for modernization, and the two sides adopted the Beijing Declaration and the Action Plan. China will work with African countries to earnestly deliver on the outcomes of the summit, pursue modernization together and in this process, drive modernization of the Global South, and enrich the all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era," Lin said.
China ensures vast space for Africa's development while pursuing opening up: spokesman
