China on Monday congratulated Djiboutian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mahamoud Ali Youssouf on election as the new chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission, and expressed the readiness to promote the development of China-AU ties.
On Saturday night, during the 38th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly of the Heads of State and Government, Youssouf emerged victorious in the leadership race against Kenyan former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, and Madagascan former Foreign Affairs Minister Richard Randriamandrato.
Youssouf, 59, will take the baton from his predecessor Moussa Faki Mahamat for a four-year tenure, renewable once.
"China congratulates Youssouf on his election as the new chairperson of the AU Commission. The African Union is the banner of Africa's unity and self-reliance, and serves as an important platform for international cooperation. China has always viewed its relations with the AU from a strategic height and long-term perspective. President Xi Jinping has sent congratulatory message to the AU Summit for 13 consecutive years and met with AU leaders during the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, fully demonstrating the high level of China-AU relations," said Guo Jiakun, a Foreign Ministry spokesman, at a press briefing in Beijing
"At present, Africa's peace and development are facing new opportunities and challenges. China is willing to work closely with chairperson Youssouf and the new AU Commission, continue to support the AU in playing a leading role in the process of African integration, make a stronger voice in international and regional affairs, jointly promote the in-depth development of China-AU and China-Africa relations, and lead the Global South to unite and strengthen themselves and work together to promote modernization," he continued.
China congratulates Mahamoud Ali Youssouf on election as African Union Commission chairperson
China will take further steps to expand high-standard opening-up and create a new landscape of win-win cooperation in 2026, which marks the start of the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030), Commerce Minister Wang Wentao said in a recent interview with China Media Group.
Wang said opening up and cooperation for mutual benefit are integral to Chinese modernization. This year, China will actively expand voluntary opening up.
The country will steadily open up such areas as value-added telecommunications, biotechnology and wholly foreign-owned hospitals, while accelerating comprehensive pilot and demonstration programs for expanded opening-up in the services sector, he noted.
"We will expand the scope and regions of unilateral opening-up and ensure the implementation of zero-tariff treatment on 100 percent of tariff lines for all African countries that have diplomatic relations with China. We will vigorously promote the effective implementation of policies for special customs operations of the Hainan Free Trade Port, further enhance the level of trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, optimize the regional layout and coverage of pilot free trade zones, and support these zones in carrying out more robust institutional opening-up trials in areas such as market access, environmental standards and government procurement, so as to better leverage their role as comprehensive pilot platforms for reform and opening-up," said Wang.
Wang said China will promote the orderly planning of cross-border industrial and supply chains.
Efforts will be made to deepen economic and trade cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, enhance integration and connectivity across production and supply chains, and encourage cooperation in areas including green development, the digital economy, green minerals, new infrastructure and new energy so as to help build global production and supply chain partnerships that are equal, inclusive and constructive, he noted.
"We will give play to the platform role of overseas economic and trade cooperation zones, expand overseas marketing networks and explore international markets through outward investment, achieve mutual promotion between investment and trade, and advance the integrated development of trade and investment. We will also improve the overseas comprehensive service system and the national-level overseas comprehensive service platform," said the minister.
In addition, China will participate constructively in global economic governance, according to the minister.
In 2026, Wang said, China will pursue flexible and pragmatic approaches to negotiate trade and investment agreements with more willing countries and regions, while strengthening economic and trade cooperation under multilateral frameworks such as BRICS, G20 and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, to further promote mutual benefit and win-win outcomes.
China to expand high-standard opening-up to foster win-win cooperation: minister
