On November 29, 2021 local time, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Tunisian Foreign Minister Othman Jerandi in Dakar, just ahead of the opening of the Eighth Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).

Wang Yi said, the FOCAC is a fine example of South-South cooperation. China appreciates the positive efforts made by all parties in Africa, including Tunisia, to prepare for this forum, attaches importance to African aspirations and visions for cooperation, and believes that with the concerted efforts from both sides, the forum will draw an ambitious blueprint for China-Africa cooperation in the next three years, and inject fresh and robust impetus into China-Africa friendship.

Wang Yi said, the present vaccination coverage of COVID-19 vaccines in the African continent is far lower than that of other regions, which is neither reasonable nor acceptable. China firmly fulfills its commitment to making COVID-19 vaccines a global public good. It will pool resources to provide more vaccines to Africa, and enhance solidarity and collaboration with Africa to tide over the difficulties and jointly prevail against the pandemic.

Wang Yi said, democracy is a common value of mankind and the legitimate right of all countries. The judgment on whether a country is democratic or not should be made by its people, not by the handful of foreign countries. Drawing ideological lines and stoking new division under the cover of democracy is a disaster to the world, not a blessing for all countries.

Jerandi said, Tunisia sincerely thanks China for lending a helping hand during the raging times of COVID-19, and helping developing countries, including Tunisia, tide over difficulties. The pandemic has fully demonstrated that stoking division, destroying multilateralism and each going its own way leads to nothing but disasters to mankind. Tunisia highly commends that China heeds the African needs, and guides the FOCAC to balance the overall development of Africa and the local differences among different countries, playing a significant role for African development and prosperity. We need to fully leverage the forum to make the foundation of Africa-China cooperation more solid, help Africa achieve independence and self-improvement, and promote greater attention from the international community to the development issue.