“GOOD FRIENDS WE HAVE TODAY REPRESENT FUTURE BRIDGES TOWARDS OUR SHARED FUTURE” – AMB WU PENG

At the recent Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) summit that was held in Beijing, no less than 51 African heads of state or their delegations attended the meeting in person, signifying the importance of the occasion amidst the rapidly-changing international world order. Also in attendance were the AU Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat and the Secretary-General of the UN, Antonio Guterres.

FOCAC is one of the few geopolitical platforms that in many ways symbolize the changing geopolitical landscape of global affairs. BRICS is the other. South-South relations have finally awoken from a long spell of slumber. United in purpose, the Global South has begun to speak in unison and without any fear of reprisals. They have grown to appreciate that there is strength in unity. This is an important development.

For three centuries and more of Western slavery, colonialism and apartheid, the art of successful subjugation of the indigenous majority by a foreign minority was based on the principle of “divide and rule”. In 2024, forums such as FOCAC, BRICS and others have declared that the era of freedom and development based on the notions of a “shared future” and “win-win” principle is now. Based on the above observation, it was naturally curious to take a look at the absent Africans at FOCAC, an occasion that attracted global media coverage due to its importance as a perceived antithesis to the lingering Western hegemony.

The absence of the mighty kingdom of Eswatini was sadly noted. All participants in FOCAC are bound by their unwavering recognition of the One-China principle, “that the People’s Republic of China is the sole legitimate government of China, and that Taiwan is an inseparable part of China”.

This lies at the heart of the UN resolution 2758 adopted on October 25, 1971, and recognized by the overwhelming majority of the UN member-states, including the US, UK, Germany, France, Canada, Latin and South America, Caribbean and Asia, Russia and the majority of the EU member-states.

Eswatini is the only African state that still has diplomatic relations with Taipei. I want to argue that as someone with deep-seated interest and love for the Eswatini kingdom, I believe that sticking to an obsolete foreign policy position that clearly swims against the tide is shortsighted and possibly suicidal.

For example, take a look at China’s Road and Belt Initiative, an economic programme spearheaded by the office of President Xi Jinping, where Beijing is determined to assist Africa with technological development projects and investments. China’s top envoy to South Africa, Ambassador Wu Peng, recently held a briefing aimed to elaborating on the FOCAC resolutions that seeks to empower the continent as a whole.

Amb Wu said “Beijing regards relations with the continent of Africa as of utmost importance in our foreign policy”. He said during FOCAC, it was announced by President Xi Jinping that relations between China and Africa had been elevated to “an All-Weather China-Africa Community with shared future for the New Era”.

Amb Wu’s approach to African cooperation seeks to embrace all states, including Eswatini, should the Kingdom’s foreign policy toward One-China Principle change. The economic and geopolitical spin-offs are huge. China’s is a permanent member of the UN Security Council. It has a veto power that it can use to the benefit of strategic allies in the continent and elsewhere. Additionally, China’s economy is the second biggest in the whole world, second only to that of the US but growing at a rate much higher than Washington’s.

Said Amb Wu: “I have worked on Africa-related affairs for nearly a decade…FOCAC has become a guiding force in international cooperation with Africa,” he told a packed media function that was also attended by top academics and political players. He added: “Based on my own experience, I would like to summarize the spirit and outcomes of FOCAC using five C’s. The first C stands for Community,” he said. “This symbolizes the building of a high-level community with a shared future.”

Elaborating on the notion of a shared community, Amb Wu said: “China and Africa have always been interconnected through shared history, development goals and aligned strategic interests. President Xi Jinping emphasized at the Summit’s opening ceremony that China-Africa relations are now “at their best in history.” Amb Wu was correct. During FOCAC 2024, it was revealed that China “established or elevated strategic partnerships with 30 African countries that have diplomatic ties with China. Africa now holds a unique position as the only continent to have this level of partnership with China, and this fully reflects the strategic importance both sides hold for each other,” he explained.

He described the second “C” as representing “consensus”. He explained: “This refers to the shared vision for modernization.” Consensus in China-Africa relations is representative of consensus across the Global South on modernization. This also dismantles the myth that “modernization equals Westernization”, Amb Wu said to applause.

During FOCAC, President Xi announced a six-point plan on China-Africa’s joint pursuit of modernization. “This included principles of fairness, openness, people-first, inclusiveness, eco-friendliness, peace and security. This gained wide recognition by African leaders and represents a strong political consensus,” Amb Wu explained.

The third “C” stood for “commitment”. This highlighted the creation of a roadmap for the next phase of China-Africa cooperation. “A hallmark of China’s cooperation with Africa has always been the readiness to keep promises and take real action,” said Amb Wu. Past cooperation agreements between China and Africa have brought “tangible benefits to hundreds of millions of people”.

Furthermore, President Xi announced “Ten Partnership Actions” for the next three years. As part of the plan, “China will invite 1,000 members of African political parties to visit China, grant zero-tariff treatment to all products from 33 of Africa’s least developed countries, build supporting infrastructure for 10 industrial parks, implement 30 infrastructure connectivity projects and carry out 1,000 ‘small and beautiful’ livelihood projects”.

In addition, said Amb Wu, China “will launch 20 programmes of health facilities and malaria treatment, send 500 agricultural experts, launch 30 clean energy projects, and create at least 1 million jobs for Africa.”

Other specific initiatives identified included expanding the “Future of Africa-Vocational Education Cooperation Plan, offering 60,000 training opportunities, inviting 1,000 African cultural and tourism professionals to China for study, establishing media and cultural exchange platforms in Africa, continuing China-Africa Press Communication Center Program, and designating 2026 as the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges”. To ensure that the plan succeeds, China has put down 210 billion yuan in credit line, which includes 70 billion yuan of investment by Chinese enterprises in Africa.

The fourth “C” stands for “creativity”. This speaks to hosting four high-level meetings during the Summit for the very first time. And the fifth and final “C” stands for “coordination”, referring to enhanced cooperation in international affairs. This was made more important as China and Africa aligned their strategies on global governance at a time when the global world order is undergoing what President Xi described as the “once-in-a-century changes”.

I want to contend that it is time that Eswatini’s international Relations scholars and government’s geopolitical advisers need to revise their foreign policy and align it with the rapidly-changing world order along with its dynamics. The Kingdom is strategically intertwined with South Africa and the SADC region, where regional foreign policy with regard to China is aligned and in sync.

For the past 14 consecutive years China has been SA’s biggest trading partner, ensuring that Pretoria’s economy remains number one in the continent. There should be no reason why the wonderful people of Eswatini and their majestic Kingdom should not benefit from the reconfiguration of the global world order currently underway. It is never too late make amends, to correct a wrong that surely brings no greater joy anyway. The benefits of bilateral relations between Eswatini and China will trigger an economic boom unseen in a century. This I know too well.

As Amb Wu told GSMN in an exclusive interview: “All of our friends present with us today represent the bridges that will bring hope to China-Africa people-to-people exchanges.”