President Jiang Zemin Tuesday made a four-point proposal on China and Africa making concerted efforts "to establish a new international political and economic order and enable our future generations to live in a beautiful world."

Jiang made the proposal in a speech at the opening ceremony of the China-Africa Cooperation Forum -- Ministerial Conference Beijing 2000, which began in Beijing Tuesday. Officials from more than 40 countries participated in the forum, the first of its kind in the history of China-Africa relations.

The first point is to strengthen solidarity and promote South-South cooperation, because South-South cooperation is an important means through which developing countries can effectively respond to changes in the international situation and meet challenges that may be brought about by economic globalization.

Developing countries must enhance their capacity for self-development and increase their national aggregates. This is a fundamental guarantee for accelerating their development.

The second point is to enhance dialog and improve North-South relations. The development of developing countries is indispensable for world prosperity and the concerted efforts of all countries are essential to human progress.

Developed countries and developing countries should conduct dialog, eliminate prejudice, seek common ground while reserving differences and respect each other. Developed countries should take full account and care of the interests of the less privileged developing countries and increase financial investment and technology transfer to them to help build up their capacity for development.

A smaller development gap and better political and economic relations between the North and the South is an important foundation for a just and equitable new international political and economic order, he said.

The third point is to take part in international affairs on the basis of equality and in an enterprising spirit. China and African countries should increase consultation, coordination and cooperation on bilateral and multilateral fronts, participate actively in the management of international affairs and formulation of international rules and promote the reform of the international political, economic, financial and trading systems.

In this way, Jiang said, the voice of developing countries will be heard more clearly in the world, a fair international environment will be created and the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries will be effectively safeguarded.

The fourth point is to look forward to the future and establish a new long-term stable partnership of equality and mutual benefit. He said establishment of stronger friendly ties and closer cooperation between China and Africa serves the interests of their peoples and conforms to the trend towards world peace and development.

"We will deepen our mutual understanding and trust through various forms of exchanges, especially direct contacts between top leaders of both China and African countries," he said. "We will take various measures to tap the potential and explore new ways and areas of our economic cooperation and trade, so that a new pattern of China-Africa economic relations and cooperation based on mutual benefit and aimed at common development will gradually take shape."

He also said that the two sides should give play to the initiative of all quarters, and promote an all-round friendship between the two sides.

"We will make special efforts to educate our younger generations so that the traditional friendship between China and Africa will be passed on from generation to generation," Jiang said.

(People's Daily 10/10/2000)