Xi Jinping Congratulates 38th AU Summit, Pledges Deeper China-Africa Cooperation

Chinese President Xi Jinping has sent a congratulatory message to the 38th Summit of the African Union (AU), extending warm greetings to African countries and their peoples, according to a statement issued by China’s Foreign Ministry.

In his message, Xi highlighted the growing role of the Global South, represented by China and Africa, amid what he described as an international landscape marked by change and turbulence. He praised the African Union for uniting and leading member states in advancing continental integration, addressing regional and global challenges, and strengthening Africa’s collective voice on the world stage.

Over the past year, the AU has “spoken in unison as the voice of Africa,” Xi said, noting that the bloc’s efforts have further enhanced the continent’s international standing and influence. He expressed sincere wishes for African countries and peoples to achieve new and greater accomplishments in their pursuit of independence, development and revitalization.

The Chinese president also underscored what he called the “vigorous development” of China-Africa relations in 2024. He pointed to the successful Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, which he said marked the beginning of a new phase in jointly building an “all-weather community with a shared future for the new era.”

Xi affirmed China’s readiness to work closely with African leaders to implement six key propositions and ten partnership actions aimed at jointly advancing modernization. The initiatives, he said, are designed to deliver tangible benefits to more than 2.8 billion people across China and Africa and to keep both sides at the forefront of efforts to build a shared future for humanity.