(Response from Dr. Zhao Jixian, Spokesperson and Counsellor at the Chinese Embassy in Egypt, to the article of 26 April “You are not welcome anymore China”)
On 26 April, Daily News Egypt published an article by Mr Tarek Hegazy titled “You are not welcome anymore China”, which has many descriptions and comments that are unfounded or just pure fallacy.
To help our friends understand the relationship between China and the world, and the friendly exchanges between China and Africa and Europe in an objective and comprehensive way, I would like to share some of my views.
In terms of China-Africa relations, the two have a solid traditional friendship and good cooperation. This relationship has withstood the test of time and international changes, and is a model of relations between developing countries.
As early as the 1950s, China and African countries opposed colonialism and imperialism hand-in-hand, and supported and collaborated with each other in the process of fighting for national independence. In 1956, hundreds of thousands of people in Beijing marched on the streets to demonstrate support for Egypt to take back the sovereignty over the Suez Canal.
In 1971, China reclaimed its legal status at the United Nations (UN), in which African countries, standing on the side of justice, firmly supported China. At present, China and Africa are working together to build the “Belt and Road”, so that the fruits of development can benefit both our peoples. Together, the two sides are pushing forward the construction of a Community of Shared Future for Mankind.
It should be pointed out that the development of China and African countries is a part of the collective rise of developing countries, which is conducive to further promoting the democratisation of international relations.
In terms of China-Europe relations, China and Europe, being two major forces, two big markets and two civilisations of the world, both support multilateralism, free trade, and the authority of the UN. They also support the basic principles of international law and international relations. Both are committed to advancing world multi-polarity and the democratisation of international relations.
The two sides actively cooperate in various fields with win-win results. At present, the China-EU relations are at a new historical moment. No matter whether the EU is facing adversity or prosperity, China firmly supports European integration, the unity and growth of the EU, and its greater role in international affairs.
China and the EU have established a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. China is also willing to work with the EU to inject more new impetus into this important relationship and effectively advance the China-EU partnership of peace, growth, reform and civilisation.
China’s development is the result of the hard work of the Chinese people, as 71 years ago, the Chinese people finally ended the century-long history domestic turmoil and foreign invasion, and took hold of their own country.
The Chinese people have stood firm since then. What China had gone through was the same path of the vast African peoples, including Egypt! Over the past 71 years, China has progressed from closed and backward to open and progressive, from poor and weak to overall better-off.
With 850 million people lifted out of poverty, and hundreds of millions passing the middle-income criterion, China has created a miracle of development in human history, applauded by the United Nations and the international community. It took China only several decades to pass the process that had taken developed countries hundreds of years. China’s experience expanded the way for developing countries to achieve modernisation, and enriched the dream of peoples of all countries for a better life as well.
China cannot develop without the world, and vice versa. China is the only developing country among the P5 of the UN Security Council, and has always safeguarded the collective interests of the developing countries in the Security Council. China firmly supports the just cause of the Palestinian people. Being a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO), China is committed to maintaining the openness of the international economy.
As a member of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), China spares no effort to protect intellectual property. In the global fight against Covid-19, China firmly supports the World Health Organization (WHO) as the core coordinator.
Since March this year, China has donated a total of $50m to the WHO for the prevention and control of the pandemic, as well as the strengthening of the health system of developing countries.
Right now, the international community is at a critical juncture in fighting the virus. What the international community need is solidarity rather than suspicion, encouragement rather than discouragement, and support rather than undermining.
In the fight against COVID-19, we must also guard against the “political virus”. The Communist Party of China is sincerely supported by all Chinese people and is the backbone of the Chinese people and the Chinese nation.
Any attempt to sour the relations between the Chinese Communist Party and the Chinese people is in vain. It is just spreading the “political virus” to slander the achievements of other countries, to discredit anti-epidemic efforts of other countries, to attempt to politicise the epidemic situation, to label viruses, or to stigmatise specific countries. It will only impede the international community’s anti-epidemic efforts and bring benefit to on one.
