Chinese President Xi Jinping's three-point proposal on carrying forward Bandung Spirit at the just concluded Asian-African summit held in Indonesia has potential to bring prosperity to the countries of the two continents by bridging gap between them, a Pakistani analyst said on Thursday. [Special coverage]
The three-point proposal is boosting Asia-Africa cooperation, expanding South-South cooperation and promoting South-North cooperation.
Commenting on President Xi's proposal, Director of Independent Bureau for Humanitarian Issues (IBHI) Professor Saeed Chaudhry said the countries in both continents can get on the right path to solve their issues and for progress if they follow the three-point proposal by President Xi. "I don't take Xi's speech as only a routine speech by a leader. Xi has prescribed a brief prescription for all the problems in the two continents of Asia and Africa, by urging them to adopt policy of cooperation," said Chaudhry.
According to Chaudhry, Africa and Asia had been conquered, used and discarded by the West, but China gave a new hope and appeared as a beam of light in a dark tunnel for Africa especially, and they are adopting "Look East" policy because China takes risks of investment in Africa that has started a rapid progress in the region.
Appreciating China's philosophy of non-interference, the analyst believed that Xi's speech will refuel the Bandung Spirit and promote cooperation between Asia and Africa in future.
Chaudhry said President Xi's announcement of offering 100,000 training opportunities for Asian and African countries and a zero- tariff policy are a substantial and genuine support to developing countries.
"Setting examples by sharing China's progress with others, President Xi urged developed countries to follow an ethical duty to support developing countries without any hidden agenda." "Not only are the three-point proposal and some packages by President Xi, China's Belt and Road initiative is the center of attraction of many countries in both Asia and Africa, and developing countries take this mega project as a savior of their week economies," Chaudhry added.
