Funds bring vitality
Jin Liqun said in his speech that the AIIB has a role to play in advancing China-Africa cooperation in years to come.
At the very beginning of his speech, before talking about China-Africa cooperation, Jin stressed the need to protect Africa's environment amid development.
"When they are building railways and roads, I always tell them not to disrupt the migration paths (of animals)," he said.
Noting that globalization is closely linked to human destiny, he said the AIIB, founded in 2016 in Beijing, has always adhered to the principles of openness, inclusiveness and cooperation. By investing in infrastructure and other productive sectors, he said, the bank helps strengthen economic ties within Asia, as well as between Asia and other regions, including Africa, Europe and Latin America, and contributes to high-quality BRI infrastructure projects.
The bank attaches great importance to Africa's development. In the second year of its establishment, the bank invested in an Egyptian solar power project, the AIIB's first investment project beyond Asia. African countries are very welcome to join the AIIB, Jin said.
He said the bank will continue to support African members in improving infrastructure connectivity, and transforming and upgrading their economies through sustainable infrastructure investments, including through partnership with the BRI. Such joint efforts will help African countries achieve broad-based economic and social development, he added.
Happiness connected
Hodan Osman Abdi graced the audience with a Somali proverb "One finger alone cannot wash a face", indicating the importance of China-Africa cooperation.
She said the China-Africa relationship has historically important significance.
Moreover, she praised the development path of China for being well-planned, and attributed China's success to this vision.
"How to understand a human community with a shared future? It means my happiness is connected to yours, my sorrow is connected to yours, in this way we are connected," she said.
She believed that through joint construction of the China-Africa community with a shared future, the two sides will march toward a more interconnected and interdependent situation.
Bridging gaps
Zahra R. Baitie said 1.3 billion Chinese people have always shared a common destiny with more than 1.2 billion African people.
But she said there is still a lot to be done to translate the bilateral understanding of "sincerity", "friendship", "equality" and a "common destiny" to the experience of everyday people. "I believe what needs to be done can be summed up by one word: 'openness'," said Baitie.
She anticipated further developments in China-Africa cooperation in the new era. The two sides should make the most of the tourism sector and expand the Chinese market for African-made products.
The level of cooperation can also be enhanced to achieve "co-creations" from project research and enterprise incubation, she said. More African institutions should be built in China to provide the country with services like financial technology innovation, cultural products and enterprise skills, Baitie added.
Going global
Wei Gang said Xi's important speech at the Beijing Summit laid out a new blueprint for development of the China-Africa comprehensive strategic partnership. He said that when going global, BAIC Group has always closely followed the lead of China's diplomacy.
The fourth Vision China event was hosted by China Daily in cooperation with BAIC Group, Beijing Language and Culture University and Snail Insurance.
Vision China was established in January. By inviting world-class political, business and academic speakers to tell China's story from global perspectives and discuss major global topics, it aims to become a broad platform to ensure China's voice is better heard in the new era as well as to build a new channel for responding to global concerns over China-related issues through profound debate.
Vision China strives to introduce Chinese solutions and Chinese wisdom as a source of a shared future for humanity.
On Sept 13, the fifth Vision China event, themed"40 Years On－China and the World", will be held in London.
