— Speech by President Xi Jinping to the Parliament of the Republic of Congo

(Brazzaville, the Republic of Congo, March 29, 2013)

Good afternoon. I am delighted to have this opportunity of meeting you, honorable members of parliament and friends, here in Brazzaville. On behalf of the Chinese Government and people and in my own name, I wish to extend sincere greetings and best wishes to you and, through you, to the hospitable and friendly people of the Republic of Congo.

Over the years, you have committed yourselves to enhanced friendship between China and the Congo, promoted bilateral exchanges and cooperation in many ways and made important contributions to the growth of bilateral relations. I wish to extend to you my high tribute and hearty thanks.

Since the establishment of diplomatic ties between our two countries nearly 50 years ago, with the commitment and dedication of both sides, our friendship has enjoyed robust growth and yielded bountiful fruits. The all-round partnership of solidarity and mutual assistance between China and the Congo has become a good example of South-South cooperation. To advance this relationship of friendship and cooperation is a strong desire shared by the governments and peoples of the two countries.

In spite of the distance and the difference in the national conditions between our two countries, our bilateral relations have always shown exuberant vitality, thanks to the firm political trust we have developed on the basis of shared ideas. Our two countries have carried out all forms of mutually beneficial cooperation aimed at common development. Our two peoples have forged deep brotherly friendship in the course of overcoming hardships together and helping each other with all sincerity.

Following a devastating earthquake in Yushu County of Qinghai Province in April 2010, the government of the Republic of Congo made a generous donation to set up a primary school in the quake-hit area. President Sassou Nguesso personally named the school the Chinese-Congolese Friendship School. Now children in the area can study quietly in the new and spacious school facilities and exercise joyfully in the school sports field. To express their gratitude, the students of that school wrote a joint letter to President Sassou Nguesso, in which they said, "Birds can fly freely in the infinite sky; horses grow stronger on the vast grassland; flowers bloom more beautifully with the blessing of sunshine and rain; and we are living a better life thanks to the help of the government and people of the Congo." On behalf of these children, I wish to express heartfelt appreciation to the government and people of the Republic of Congo.

During this visit, I have had friendly meetings with many African leaders and have met people from across society in Africa. Here in Africa, two things have impressed me most.

First, Africa is a continent full of dynamism and hope. During my visit, I have been overwhelmed by the ardent desire and vigorous pursuit of the African people for a better life and by the conviction and resolve of African leaders to lead their people towards national prosperity. This is the most important driving force for the development of Africa. In recent years, Africa has, in general, enjoyed peace, stability and a fast economic growth, which we are truly happy to see.

Despite turbulences in some parts of Africa, I strongly believe that these difficulties and setbacks will not stand in the way of Africa's determined steps towards peace, development and progress. At this very moment, I cannot but think of a line from an African poet, that is, "March forward, Africa. Let us hear the rhythm of victory in your singing!"

Second, China-Africa cooperation promises a big scope for development and bright prospects. Since the mid-20th century, the Chinese and African people have sympathized with and supported each other in the fight for national independence and people's liberation and in finding a development path that suits one's own national conditions. In the new era, our two sides have once again faced the same historical mission in the pursuit of national development and people's happiness and our cooperation has produced fruitful results.

Looking ahead, China's development will offer Africa unprecedented opportunities and vice versa. Our two sides should work together and march firmly along the path of mutually beneficial cooperation and common development. We in China will, together with our African friends, seize the historical opportunities, deepen result-oriented cooperation and advance China-Africa friendship, to the benefit of the Chinese and African people.

New developments in the international landscape have presented us both precious development opportunities and grim challenges. It is the shared desire of all peoples in the world to pursue peace, development and cooperation and oppose war, eliminate poverty and avoid confrontation.

We stand for equality, mutual trust, inclusiveness, mutual learning and win-win cooperation in international relations. We believe that all countries should work together to uphold international fairness and justice. All countries should observe the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations; treat each other as equals, irrespective of their size, strength and wealth; respect the diversity of world civilizations and diverse development paths; promote democratization of international relations and the development of human civilization; maintain world peace and stability and advance the common interests of mankind.

China will continue to hold high the banner of peace, development, cooperation and mutual benefit and will unswervingly work for world peace and common development. No matter how the international situation may evolve, China will always be the all-weather friend and partner of Africa.

China will firmly stand with African countries and stand for mutual help with them. It will continue to increase assistance to Africa to the best of its ability, expand trade with and investment in Africa, enhance practical cooperation, and meet challenges brought by global economic risks and difficulties together with Africa.

China will work unswervingly with African countries for increased mutual trust and a more solid political foundation of the traditional friendship, and support African countries in following the development paths that they have chosen themselves and that suit their own national conditions. China will support African countries, the African Union and other regional organizations in their endeavor to safeguard state sovereignty, independently resolve issues on the continent and play a constructive role in maintaining peace and security in Africa.

China will never waver in its cooperation with African countries. It will enhance coordination with them in international affairs and work together with them in taking up global challenges in climate change, food security, poverty reduction and development, participate in the formulation of international economic, financial and trade rules, and help move the international political and economic order in a fairer and more equitable direction.

The traditional friendship between China and Africa takes a deep root in the heart of the people. The profound friendship between Chinese and African peoples serves as an important social foundation for China-Africa relations. The active participation of the people is the only way to maintain vigor and vitality in the friendship between China and Africa and to consolidate the foundation for China-Africa cooperation. We must deliver the fruits of our cooperation to the Chinese and African peoples, if we are to obtain broader and stronger popular support for China-Africa relations.

Mutual understanding holds the key to friendship. Culture serves as an important bridge and bond for mutual understanding and friendship between people of different countries. People-to-people and cultural exchanges constitute an important pillar sustaining the new-type China-Africa strategic partnership. The growth of China-Africa relations calls for both the "solid" support of economic and trade cooperation and the "soft" booster of people-to-people and cultural exchanges. The latter will not only culturally enrich and nourish China-Africa relations, but also provide a strong driving force for their growth.

We are happy to see people-to-people and cultural exchanges between China and Africa grow rapidly, make fresh progress, expand substantively and in diverse forms, and produce fruitful results in recent years.

At the same time, we should not fail to see that there is still a broad space for the growth of China-Africa people-to-people and cultural exchanges in order to live up to the expectations of the Chinese and African peoples and to tap the growth potential of China-Africa relations.

We should set up more platforms for direct contact between the people of the two sides and make more information available to them for better mutual understanding. In this way, China-Africa friendship will take root in people's heart and soul and will be carried forward from generation to generation.

I was told a touching story. One night in December 2012, a rainstorm hit Brazzaville and several houses in the suburban area were about to be flooded. Three local Chinese, who had just escaped the danger themselves, risked their lives and swam back to the houses to save their Congolese neighbors, who had no knowledge of the danger they were in. They managed to remove the roofs and saved 12 Congolese neighbors, including five children. Their bravery has been highly commended by people in the local community.

This story clearly tells us that the growth of a new-type China-Africa strategic partnership derives its source from the people and from communication. Let us work together, taking the friendship between our peoples as a pen and the land of China and Africa as the paper, to write a new chapter of the friendship between the Chinese and African peoples.

The legislative institution plays an important role in a country's social and political life. Exchanges and cooperation between legislative institutions of different countries and direct communication between their members are an important part of state-to-state relations. They are also important channels for better mutual understanding and deepened friendship among peoples. I hope the legislature of our two countries will continue to maintain the momentum of friendly exchanges and sincere cooperation. And I hope you, members of parliament, will give full play to your role and contribute to the friendship between the people of our two countries.

Parting is such sweet sorrow that I shall say goodbye to you soon. But be assured that the friendly smile of the Congolese people will come to my mind from time to time and their sincere words will resound in my ears on and on.

I will keep deep in my memory the friendship, the happy moments and the touching stories that I have gathered during this trip to Africa. The brotherly sentiment of the African people toward the Chinese people will motivate us to work tirelessly to advance the friendship between China and Africa!

I believe that China-Africa friendship will forever surge forward like the Yangtze and the Congo rivers!