China’s ruling party calls Africa to fight graft, cherish human rights

Dar es Salaam. The Communist Party of China (CPC) yesterday shared its wealth of experience with its African freedom parties counterparts on how the latter can remain relevant to people and keep winning in elections.

The cadres, drawn from more than 40 freedom parties from at least 30 African countries, gathered at a city hotel for a two-day extraordinary session for a dialogue seeking to deepen discussion and exchanges on governance philosophy and development paths under the framework of the CPC.

Running under the banner ‘Theories and Practices of Chinese and African Political Parties in Exploring Development Paths Suitable to National Situation’, the session, which was graced by President John Magufuli, aimed at harmonizing the consensus of cooperation between China-Africa and build what it called a shared future.

Mr Song Tao, CPC’s head of the International Liaison Department, told the general secretaries and representatives of the freedom parties that it was important for their governments to respect human rights and wage a relentless war against corruption saying no one would be interested in a party which has proven failure in these areas.

According to him, this was the only way to go if the parties and their governments were really committed to have their country’s conditions improved for the betterment of their people.

He said African governments had the duty of creating the catalysts for development and align both their domestic and foreign policies with those catalysts.

“These of course include the forging of [development] plans relevant to the country’s environment and conditions and as a friend party we are willing to help to make the plans fruitful,” said Mr Tao.

Earlier, while officiating the session as the guest of honour President Magufuli praised China-Africa relations saying they are based on common understanding and respect.

He attributed the principles to unconditional aid given by the Chinese people to their African counterparts saying that that was exactly what African countries wanted and deserved.

“We don’t want conditions but common understanding,” insisted Dr Magufuli followed by a big round of applause from the audience. “A kind of cooperation that we all consider ourselves equal and benefiting from.”

He called upon African governments to come together saying partnerships were the key if the continent were to make any steps in improving the living standards of its people.

Tanzania’s Head of State said African states could better their economies provided that the continent had faithful friends who truly understood the African conditions and genuinely shared its people’s concerns singling out China as one of those friends.

He said the relations between Africa and China, which he said were based on human relations, have continued to grow in various fields especially after independence and called upon the second world largest economy to continue supporting Africa in its development initiatives.