Are Congo and China good and equal partners?

The leaders of Congo and China attach great importance to the relationship between their countries.

Congo and China are satisfied with their relationship and have plans to deepen it. This is evident from the official visit of the Congolese president and his staff to China, the composition of the Congolese delegation, the selection of their interlocutors, the discussions held, the back and forth reports and the concrete results. They consider it a mutually beneficial and positive influence in the current geopolitical situation. As we reported earlier, the President of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Felix Tshisekedi, visited China from May 24 to 29.

He was invited by the Chinese delegation Xi Jinping. Sisekadi Apart from Xi Jinping, he also met with Premier Li Keqiang and Parliament Speaker Zhao Leji. China has been the DRC’s largest trading partner and source of foreign investment for years. These are the facts emphasized by Xi Jinping in his welcome speech.

Pronunciations

The two countries’ foreign ministers, Christophe Ludundula (also deputy prime minister) and Qin Gang, held consultations ahead of and in preparation for the state visit. Qin says China wants to help Congo in its efforts to use its resources as an engine for economic development. The ministers discussed the Congolese business environment, the role of Chinese investors and geopolitical cooperation between the two governments. United Nations. On May 29, they held a second meeting in Beijing.

Congolese Minister of Infrastructure and Public Works, Alexis Mvuni, was part of the panel. In an interview with Xinhua on the occasion of the visit, he praised the achievements of infrastructure cooperation between the two countries. Muvuni noted, among others, the Palais du Peuple, the National Assembly and the Senate in Kinshasa and the multipurpose State des Martyrs. The Congolese minister said Chinese companies are supporting Africa fairly by building infrastructure, roads and bridges. China’s contributions, he says, will bring concrete benefits to the Congolese people.

Dates

Immediately after their meeting on May 26, Xi Jinping and Tshisekedi announced that they would upgrade their bilateral relationship from win-win cooperation to a “comprehensive strategic partnership for cooperation.” After the talks, bilateral agreements including investments, green economy and digital economy were signed in the presence of the two heads of state. China will encourage more companies to invest in the Democratic Republic of the Congo “in accordance with the plans developed and recommended by the Congolese government.” Both countries will increase their cooperation in agriculture and exploration of natural resources. They want to strengthen development and implementation in the Congo itself so that the country can achieve independent and sustainable development. China and Congo will be more active in the Belt and Road Initiative. The Democratic Republic of Congo will participate in three global initiatives launched by Xi Jinping: Global Development InitiativeThis is Global Security Initiative And this Global Civilization Initiative. On this occasion, the Chinese President was invited on an official visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo. A specific date is yet to be agreed upon.

A win-win situation?

Diplomats from both countries spoke of ‘mutual benefit and positive influence in the current geopolitical situation’. Is that right? The visit of the Congolese president and his allies comes against the backdrop of closer ties between China and Africa. Or recently as a foreign affairs spokesman Press conference Notable: Exchanges and cooperation between China and African countries have been increasing recently, ‘gear knob on’. Following the Tanzanian President’s state visit to China following the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, African leaders and foreign ministers visited China to attend events. Visitors included the Presidents of Gabon and the Prime Minister of Eritrea, Ivory Coast. The spokesperson added: Following the fine tradition of Chinese diplomacy, Foreign Minister Qin Gang visited five African countries, the headquarters of the African Union and the headquarters of Arab countries 10 days after taking office. The Speaker of the Parliament, Zhao Leji, visited Senegal and Morocco not long ago. On May 25, 2023, Foreign Minister Qin Gang spoke at the reception Africa Day in Beijing. The 60th anniversary celebration of the African Union was attended by the Deputy Prime Ministers and Foreign Ministers of Ethiopia and the Congo and diplomatic envoys of various African countries.

Are Congo and China equal?

For some media, with American And on the British front, it fits into a film they want to see. ‘Superpowers China, Russia and America Struggle to Increase Their Influence on the African Continent’. The accusation of Chinese neo-colonialism, however often slandered, is not far-fetched refused There is Now and again, some journalists like to reduce Tshisekedi’s entire visit to an attempt renegotiate About mining deals done under previous President Kabila.

The issue of mining agreements is item 11 in the Congolese-China joint statement following the Congolese president’s state visit. It says: ‘We will continue to review and coordinate mining cooperation based on the long-term mutual interests of the two countries. In mutual trust, pragmatism and reasonable approach, problems arising in the process of cooperation should be resolved through friendly consultation. China will continue to encourage companies to accelerate the implementation of agreed infrastructure projects, strengthen cooperation with Congolese mining, encourage companies to participate in investment in the development of the new energy battery value chain, and promote the development of the industrial chain. Opportunities for independent development’ (transl Chinese And English versions)

A high official of the Congo, Eric Kibombe, told reporters in Beijing that the mining talks were going “a lot.” The official thinks an agreement between states would be better than agreements between Congo and individual mining companies. Congo hopes to reach a new deal by the end of the year.

In an interview at the Financial Times Commodities Global Summit (on Video) The Congolese government does not want to reduce or cancel investments. He is certainly not against Chinese investments, but it is necessary to look critically at unfair investments, which are problems in the agreements Congo has with other countries. ‘However, the Chinese are the main players at the moment. We are trying to solve two or three big problems that we have with their businesses that are very important to the country. And … we should Don’t see it as a political issue. It is an economic issue. We are talking to the Chinese and I believe we will agree with them. Bad contracts stem from past inefficiencies, and in some cases Chinese new owners must correct unfair contracts derived from business acquisitions, says Cassady. Cassady reiterates that it is important for his country not to ‘put all its eggs in one basket’. It is precisely this diversity that China wants and can offer to its equal treatment partners in the Third World.

Cooperation and more freedom

Xi Jinping, in his welcome speech, noted that China and the DRC have “established deep traditional friendship”. A historical process of striving for national liberation and resistance against colonial occupation. Xi sees the two countries as “strategic partners who share broad common views and work together for common progress”. “The successful experience of Chinese modernization shows that developing countries have the right and opportunity to explore ways of modernization that suit their national circumstances,” Xi reiterated in his statement.
China’s willingness to work with the DRC to further strengthen both development strategies has been repeatedly emphasized during the Congolese President’s visit and in the joint final report. That mutual solidarity is, of course, equally reflected in Tshisekedi’s assurance that “the DRC remains committed to the one-China policy and strongly supports China’s efforts to achieve national reunification.”

As cooperation with China opens up more possibilities for Congo, the country can make its own choices. That’s diversity and that’s it King Kong This means: when he says that ‘the close relationship between China and Africa is the guarantee of world peace’.

proof’s: Xinhua, africanews.com, Wikipedia, Friends of Socialist China, Bloomberg, Financial Times, washingtonpost.com, Global Times, China Daily, vrt.nws, chinaglobalsouth.com,