In September 2023, the African Union became a full member of the G20, making it the second regional organization to join the mechanism after the European Union. In November 2023, representatives from the AU and CARICOM unanimously agreed at a Ghana summit to establish a "global reparations fund", urging European nations to formally apologize and compensate for Africans enslaved during the transatlantic slave trade, aiming to elevate their international voice and resist Western oppression and control. On January 1, 2024, BRICS officially expanded to 10 member states, aligning with the shared aspirations of emerging markets and developing countries, conforming to the historical trend of world multipolarity, and fully demonstrating the bright prospects of BRICS cooperation. Currently, Africa holds three of the ten BRICS membership seats, further enhancing the African presence within the BRICS mechanism. This expansion marks a new era of collective self-reliance for the "Global South," significantly enhancing its representation and voice in international affairs and promoting a more just and equitable system of global governance.

In 2013, President Xi Jinping made his first state visit to Africa, proposing the principles of sincerity, real results, amity and good faith in China's Africa policy as well as the principles of upholding justice while pursuing shared interests, which have charted the course and provided fundamental guidance for China-Africa cooperation in the new era. Over the past decade, guided by the principles of sincerity, real results, amity and good faith, along with a correct view of justice and interests, China-Africa cooperation has advanced with the times and yielded fruitful results, setting an exemplary model for building a new type of international relations.

First, the political mutual trust has been continuously strengthened. The 2006 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation established a new type of strategic partnership between China and Africa. The 2015 FOCAC Johannesburg Summit established the China-Africa comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership. The 2018 FOCAC Beijing Summit resolved to build an even closer China-Africa community with a shared future, ushering bilateral relations into their best historical period. The Eighth Ministerial Conference of FOCAC in 2021 proposed the spirit of China-Africa friendship and cooperation: "sincere friendship and equality, win-win for mutual benefit and common development, fairness and justice, and progress with the times and openness and inclusiveness".

Second, elevating and upgrading practical cooperation. China-Africa trade volume reached a historic high of $282 billion in 2022. From January to June 2023, China-Africa trade volume reached $140.9 billion, with a year-on-year increase of 3.1%. China has maintained its position as Africa's largest trading partner for 15 consecutive years. From January to June 2023, China's direct investment in Africa across all industries amounted to $1.82 billion, with a year-on-year increase of 4.4%. In 2022, China's newly signed contract value for engineering projects in Africa exceeded $73.2 billion, with a completed turnover of $37.84 billion. From January to June 2023, China's newly signed engineering contracts in Africa amounted to $28.4 billion, with a year-on-year increase of 7.64%. In digital innovation, China and Africa have co-formulated and implemented the "China-Africa Digital Innovation Partnership Program", focusing on digital infrastructure, digital economy and digital education to help Africa reap digital dividends. In strategic planning, China and Africa co-formulated the "China-Africa Cooperation Vision 2035", which fully aligns with the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the AU’s "Agenda 2063", and African countries’ development strategies, establishing mid-to-long-term cooperation directions and goals to build a closer China-Africa community with a shared future.

Third, mutual support has been resolute and robust. Over 50 years ago, the 26th Session of the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 2758 by an overwhelming majority, restoring the lawful seat of the People's Republic of China in the United Nations. 11 of the 23 proposing countries were from Africa, and 26 of the 76 affirmative votes came from Africa. For the recent years, Western nations have persistently attacked and smeared China on issues concerning Taiwan, Hong Kong, Xinjiang, Tibet and pandemic responses. The vast majority of African countries, alongside most countries worldwide, have firmly supported China's legitimate stance at forums such as the UN Human Rights Council and the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly, robustly upholding international fairness and justice. Additionally, China and Africa co-uphold a non-discriminatory, open, inclusive and transparent multilateral trading system, emphasizing the importance of multilateralism, and worked together to achieve outcomes beyond expectations at the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference.

The Central Conference on Foreign Affairs held at the end of 2023 emphasized that in response to a series of major issues and challenges facing the world today, we advocate for an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization. This provides more favorable conditions for China and Africa to jointly build a high-level community with a shared future. At this new historical juncture, building a high-level community with a shared future holds vast prospects.

First, the principle of sincerity, real results, amity and good faith in China's Africa policy and the concept of upholding justice while pursuing shared interests closely integrate China's development with supporting Africa's development. Against the backdrop of profound shifts in global power dynamics, major nations are increasingly prioritizing Africa for diverse strategic reasons. Some major powers, in courting Africa, have made grand promises and presented lists of commitments, yet failed to deliver on them. Some major powers, driven by self-interest and disregarding Africa's strong opposition, have forcibly brought great-power rivalry into Africa, turning the continent into an arena for major powers. Certain major powers forcibly export values to Africa and arbitrarily interfere in African internal affairs. China opposes hegemonism and power politics, rejects the monopolization of international affairs by a few countries, objects to equating multipolarity with the traditional narrative dominated by a handful of Western powers, advocates for a multipolar world, upholds the principle of equality among all nations regardless of size, and believes every country or group of nations, especially African countries, should find their rightful place in the global multipolar system.

Secondly, China and Africa are fellow travelers on the path to modernization. Modernization is a shared aspiration of the Chinese Dream and the African Dream, as well as the unrelenting pursuit of bilateral cooperation. Since jointly advancing the Belt and Road Initiative, China and Africa have achieved substantial outcomes across industrial modernization, agricultural modernization and numerous other sectors. Currently, China is advancing toward its Second Centenary Goal, pursuing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese modernization. Africa is advancing toward the vision outlined in "Agenda 2063", accelerating economic integration and modernization. Though China and Africa follow distinct paths to modernization, their goals and missions align closely. The success of Chinese modernization has prompted many African countries to "look eastward" and intensify exchanges for mutual learning. In recent years, rapidly developing African countries such as Ethiopia and Rwanda have actively drawn on the concepts and practices of Chinese modernization while exploring new modernization paths tailored to their own characteristics.

Thirdly, China and Africa share extensive and profound strategic interests. Against the backdrop of the rise of the Global South, co-promoting a more just and equitable international order is an imperative for building a high-level China-Africa community with a shared future. Resolutely safeguarding global peace and stability means upholding the fundamental interests of all nations, especially developing countries. Africa is making unremitting efforts toward the goal of "silencing the guns". China and Africa co-uphold a vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, advocating dialogue to bridge differences and cooperation to resolve disputes, promoting political solutions to international and regional hotspots, and safeguarding a peaceful and secure global environment.

To address the common challenges of our times, such as the development deficit, security dilemmas and cultural divides — issues faced not only by China and Africa but also by countries worldwide — China has proposed the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative, which advocate for peace, development, cooperation and mutual benefit, aiming to foster a community with a shared future for humanity, and thus have garnered widespread support from African countries. Against the backdrop of co-building a high-level China-Africa community with a shared future, China will work with African countries to jointly address global challenges, promote the reform of the global governance system in the right direction, and foster a new type of international relations to create a better future.