- Chinese Foreign Minister, Wang Yi (left) and African Union Commission Chairperson, Mahmoud Youssouf, at the ninth China-AU Strategic Dialogue in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia… recently
By Anthony Nwachukwu
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and African Union (AU) Commission Chairperson, Mahmoud Youssouf, have held talk on the China-Africa joint efforts in advancing modernisation, global governance, and the Outlook on Peace and Development in the Horn of Africa.
The ninth China-AU Strategic Dialogue, held at the AU Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, also touched on zero-tariff treatment and the International Organisation for Mediation.
Wang, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, also attended the launching ceremony of the 2026 China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges, alongside Youssouf.
Both sides noted that China and the AU, as members of the Global South, share a broad consensus on major international and regional issues.
They underscored the importance of jointly safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of the Global South and reaffirmed their commitment to supporting each other to safeguard their respective core interests and major concerns.
Both parties emphasised the need to further strengthen coordination and cooperation to inject positive momentum into global and regional peace, stability and development.
On its part, the AU side reaffirmed commitment to the one-China principle, stressing that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory, with the Chinese government the sole legal representative of the whole China. It also supported all efforts by the Chinese government to achieve national reunification.
Both sides reiterated the imperative of upholding a global order based on international law, particularly respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as the peaceful settlement of disputes.
They also expressed concern over the recent developments in Venezuela, saying that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries must be respected, and the fundamental principles of the United Nations Charter and international law adhered to.
Wang and Youssouf also exchanged views on cooperation in various fields, including China-Africa joint efforts in advancing modernisation. They underscored the importance of the enhanced alignment between China’s 15th Five-Year Plan and the implementation plan of the AU’s Agenda 2063.
Both sides agreed to enhance communication, coordination and mutual support in their respective major initiatives, including China’s Global Security Initiative, the Global Governance Initiative, and the International Organisation for Mediation, as well as Africa’s Agenda 2063 and its flagship projects on Silencing the Guns by 2030 and the African Continental Free Trade Area.
Wang and Youssouf further reaffirmed commitment to promoting the effective implementation of all signed cooperation agreements and memoranda of understanding, while exploring the full potential for practical cooperation between China and the AU to deliver tangible benefits to the peoples.
