Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday sent a congratulatory message to Joao Lourenço, President of Angola and current rotating chair of the African Union (AU), as well as to Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, Chairperson of the AU Commission, warmly congratulating African countries and peoples on the occasion of the 39th AU Summit.
Xi noted that the world today is undergoing accelerated changes of a scale unseen in a century, and that the strength of the Global South has significantly increased.
Over the past year, the AU has maintained unity and led African countries in actively advancing the process of integration, firmly safeguarding Africa’s legitimate rights and interests, while its status and influence on the international stage have continued to grow, he recalled.
He emphasized that in an international landscape marked by turbulence and transformation, China remains firmly committed to maintaining world peace, advancing common development, and promoting the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.
Xi announced that starting May 1, 2026, China will fully implement zero‑tariff treatment for all African countries with which it maintains diplomatic relations. At the same time, China will continue to advance negotiations and signing of economic partnership agreements for shared development, and further expand access for African exports to China by improving the “green channel,” among other measures.
The Chinese President stressed that these new measures to expand China’s high‑level opening‑up will certainly create new opportunities for Africa’s development and for the joint pursuit of modernization.
Xi noted that since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Africa 70 years ago, both sides have always advanced side by side, weathering storms together.
He affirmed that China is ready to work with Africa to carry forward their historic friendship, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, strengthen mutual understanding and affection, and jointly write a new chapter of a China‑Africa community with a shared future in the new era.