Phyllis Johnson, founding director of the Southern African Research and Documentation Centre (SARDC), speaks during a seminar in Harare, Zimbabwe, Nov. 8, 2023. A seminar on the security situation in Africa and the development of China-Africa relations was held here on Wednesday, attended by officials from the Chinese Embassy in Zimbabwe and scholars from the fields of peace, security, development, and history in the country.(Xinhua/Tafara Mugwara)
An Yuejun, secretary-general of the Chinese People’s Association for Peace and Disarmament (CPAPD), which co-sponsored the seminar, delivered a keynote speech, saying that China’s security cooperation with Africa is one of the key cooperation directions clearly defined in the concept document of the Global Security Initiative.
China is willing to make contributions to jointly implementing the Global Security Initiative, jointly building a China-Africa community with a shared future, and maintaining security and stability in Africa, said An.
China, he said, stands ready to work with Zimbabwe to develop high-level mutual trust between the two countries, render mutual support on issues regarding core interests and develop a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.
The reasonable security of each country must be taken into full consideration, and one country’s security must not be at the expense of that of another country, said An, adding that China advocates a new path towards security, dialogue over confrontation, partnership over alliance and win-win results over a zero-sum game, and strongly opposes unilateralism, hegemonism and protectionism, and interference in other countries’ internal affairs.
China has always supported Africa in increasing its representation and voice in international organizations, and in strengthening its ability to independently safeguard peace, An said.
In her address at the seminar, Phyllis Johnson, founding director of the Southern African Research and Documentation Centre (SARDC), said that development is the foundation of peace and security.
“So it works both ways. We need peace and security for development but we need development for peace and security,” she said.
“Together Africa and China have the political will and commitment to find better solutions to creating and maintaining peace. In Southern Africa we have institutions for effective peace training, which needs substantive joint support and infrastructure development,” Johnson added.
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