Ambassador Zhou Pingjian: “As FOCAC Beijing Summit Draws Near”
驻尼日利亚大使周平剑发表署名文章驳斥所谓“中国融资增加非洲国家债务论”
9 March 2018
2018年3月9日
On March 7th and 8th, Nigerian newspaper Daily Trust, Authority, People’s Daily and Leadership published an article titled As FOCAC Beijing Summit Draws Near written by Ambassador of China to Nigeria Dr. Zhou Pingjian. The full text goes as follows:
2018年3月7日和3月8日，尼日利亚《今日报》《先锋报》《国民报》《抨击报》等主流媒体发表驻尼日利亚大使周平剑署名文章，文章内容如下：
As President Muhammadu Buhari recently said in his felicitation message to President Xi Jinping on the occasion of the Chinese lunar new year, “I am looking forward to China hosting the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation summit in Beijing in September this year, and have every reason to believe that the Year of Dog will bring us more success stories and mutual benefits for China-Africa cooperation.” The Chinese Government is working hard to ensure the success of the Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, according to Premier Li Keqiang, while delivering the government work report to the ongoing first session of China’s 13th National People’s Congress on March 5.
中非合作论坛北京峰会即将举办。布哈里总统在致习近平主席的新春贺函中说：“我期待今年9月中国主办中非合作论坛北京峰会，相信农历狗年将见证更多中非合作的成功故事和互利佳话。”3月5日，李克强总理在十三届全国人大一次会议政府工作报告中表示中国政府将努力办好中非合作论坛北京峰会。
This year marks the 18th anniversary of FOCAC. The past 18 years have seen fruitful progress in China-Africa practical cooperation across the board. Two-way trade and China’s total non-financial investment in Africa in 2017 were 17 times and around 100 times that of 2000 respectively, which shows China’s contribution to Africa’s economic development has risen significantly. FOCAC has become a pacesetter in China-Africa cooperation, a champion for greater international attention to and input in Africa, and the largest and most effective South-South cooperation platform in the world.
今年是中非合作论坛创办18周年。18年来，中非各领域务实合作取得丰硕成果。2017年中非贸易额和中国对非洲非金融类投资存量分别是2000年的76倍和约100倍，中国对非洲经济发展的积极贡献和促进作用日益凸显。中非合作论坛已经成为引领中非合作的一面旗帜，有效带动国际社会加大对非关注和投入，不愧为世界上规模最大、成效最好的南南合作平台。
The FOCAC Johannesburg Summit held in December 2015 was a great success, and it is now China’s turn to hold a new FOCAC. China decides to upgrade the forum to a summit in response to the positive and urgent wishes of the African members of FOCAC. President Xi Jinping and President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa, the FOCAC co-chair, will jointly invite all the leaders of the forum members to attend the summit. Building on the success of Johannesburg Summit, we are willing to strengthen communication and consultation with our African friends to elevate the FOCAC Beijing Summit to a new level. We hope to, through the joint construction of the “Belt and Road” between China and Africa, inject fresh and strong impetus into China-Africa mutually beneficial cooperation and elevate it to a new level.
2015年12月论坛约翰内斯堡峰会获得巨大成功。中方正同非方共同努力，认真筹备将于今年9月举办的中非合作论坛北京峰会。习近平主席和论坛非方共同主席国南非总统将联名邀请论坛所有成员方领导人出席。我们愿同非洲朋友加强沟通协商，使论坛北京峰会在约堡峰会基础上更上一层楼。中非双方通过共建“一带一路”，将为中非互利合作注入新的强劲动力，把中非合作提升至新的水平。
China-Africa cooperation has always been open and transparent. China welcomes the concerted efforts made by the international community to support Africa in achieving peace, stability and development. Some allegations by some people in the international community however, are biased and not fact-based, and we frankly don’t agree. Take the concessionary loan provided by China to African countries. Has it increased the debt burden of countries concerned? Are there any political considerations behind it? The answers are definitely negative, contrary to the claim. That kind of claim, I should say, is full of groundless words with an attempt out of ulterior motives. In recent years China has indeed increased its financing support to African countries including Nigeria, with China-Africa cooperation having been increasingly expanded and deepened. However, as Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi made it very clear during his visit to Africa early this year, it needs to be stressed that China has always adhered to the following principles in this process:
中非合作向来开放透明，中方欢迎国际社会携手并肩，助力非洲实现和平、稳定与发展。国际上有人鼓吹“中国融资增加非洲国家债务论”，这完全是别有用心的不实之词。中国融资加重非洲国家债务负担了吗？其背后有政治考量吗？答案毫无疑问是否定的。近年来随着中非合作日益拓展，中国的确对包括尼日利亚在内的非洲国家加大了融资支持力度。然而正如中国外长王毅年初访非时所强调，中方在此过程中始终遵循一些基本原则：
First, the response made to the development demand of Africa itself. Any country has huge capital demand at the initial stage of economic take-off and industrialization and Africa is of no exception. Based on the wishes put forward by the African countries, China provides financing support within its due capacity and offers timely assistance to the economic and social development of the African countries, which has been unanimously recognized and welcomed by all countries.
一是响应非洲自身发展的需要。任何国家的经济起飞和工业化初期阶段，都有巨大的资金需求，非洲也不例外。中方依据非洲国家提出的意愿，在力所能及的范围内给予融资支持，对非洲各国的经济社会发展起到了雪中送炭作用，受到了各国一致肯定和欢迎。
Second, never attach any political conditions. Like African countries, China had a painful experience of having its economy under the control of the foreign countries and then suffering unfair treatment and even being exploited and oppressed. Therefore, China will never do what the western countries have done or impose its will on others no matter in assistance or cooperation, but will always respect and work together with Africa, considering both righteousness and benefit with the former as the top priority.
二是从不附加任何政治条件。中国同非洲国家一样，都有过被外国掌控经济命脉，进而遭受不公正待遇甚至被剥削压迫的惨痛经历。因此，中国对非洲无论是援助还是合作，都绝不会搞西方国家那一套，更不会强加于人，而是始终尊重非洲、帮助非洲，义利相兼，以义为先。
Third, stick to the principle of mutual benefit and win-win results. The nature of China-Africa cooperation is South-South cooperation, one of whose major characteristics is equal treatment, mutual benefit and win-win results. Only by doing in this way can sustainable and long-term cooperation be achieved and common development of both sides realized. To this end, the financing support provided by China to Africa must undergo serious feasibility studies and market-oriented arguments to ensure that each cooperation project can achieve the desired economic and social effects.
三是坚持互利共赢的原则。中非合作本质上是南南合作，南南合作的一个重要特点就是平等相待，互利共赢，这样才能真正持续和长久，实现双方的共同发展。中国给予非洲的资金支持，都要经过认真的可行性研究和市场化论证，以确保每一个合作项目都能取得应有的经济和社会效应。
The current debt owned by some African countries was accumulated over a long period of time instead of occurring in recent years. China is not a main creditor of African countries. The solution to debt issues is to achieve diversified economic development by taking the path of sustainable development. China firmly supports this solution. China’s financing support to Africa is mainly invested in infrastructure construction and the productive field. The Chinese companies have built a large number of infrastructure projects such as highways, railways, ports, airports and communications facilities in Africa, which greatly improved the environment for Africa’s economic development, added to its appeal to foreign investment and enhanced its capability to achieve self-driven development. In addition to loans, the Chinese government is more inclined to encourage and guide Chinese enterprises to increase their direct investment in Africa and has offered support in this regard, and actively explores new investment cooperation model such as the Public-Private Partnership (PPP). China always attaches high importance to Africa’s debt sustainability. We are committed to intensive development. The large infrastructure projects are planned and moved forward along with promoting Africa’s industrial development. While pursuing the economic and social benefits of the relevant projects, we have also laid emphasis on enhancing African countries’ capability for independent and sustainable development so as to avoid adding to African countries’ debt burden.
当前一些非洲国家的债务积累不是这两年才发生的，中国也不是非洲国家主要债权方。中方坚定支持非洲通过实现经济多元化发展、走可持续发展之路来解决债务问题。中国对非融资支持主要投入基础设施建设和生产性领域，如大量的公路、铁路、港口、机场、通信等，极大地改善了非洲经济发展环境，帮助非洲“筑巢引凤”，吸引外资，增强自身“造血”功能。除贷款以外，中国政府更鼓励、引导和支持中国企业加大对非直接投资，积极探讨新型投资合作模式。中方始终高度重视非洲债务可持续性问题，坚持集约发展理念，坚持大型基础设施建设和促进非洲产业发展同谋划同推进，坚持既追求项目的经济社会效益、也注重增强非洲国家的自主可持续发展能力，全力防止非洲国家增加债务负担。
Africa has the best say on China’s cooperation with Africa. African people will have their own judgment and naturally come to the fair conclusion that who helps Africa sincerely and who is the most reliable partner of Africa. We hope that relevant countries can contribute more to Africa’s development and view China-Africa cooperation in a fair and objective way. As the FOCAC Beijing Summit draws near, we believe we will surely be able to open up broader prospects for China-Africa comprehensive strategic partnership irrespective of detractors and distractions, as long as we adhere to the principle of shared growth through consultation and collaboration.
对于中国的对非合作，最有发言权的是非洲。到底谁才是真心帮助非洲，谁才是非洲最可信赖的伙伴，非洲人民心中有杆秤，自然会得出公正的结论。对中非合作的诋毁和干扰都是徒劳的。中非合作论坛北京峰会将为中非全面战略合作伙伴关系开辟更加广阔前景。