The year 2022 marks the 66th anniversary of the start of the diplomatic relations between China and African countries and the 20th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the African Union. For more than 60 years, China and African countries have embraced the historical trend of peace, development and win-win cooperation, continuously consolidated their traditional friendship and improved their relations on the basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence (mutual respect for each other's sovereignty and territorial integrity, mutual non-aggression, mutual non-interference in each other's internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit, and peaceful co-existence). Particularly since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in 2012, in the light of the principles of "sincerity, real results, amity and good faith" put forward by President Xi Jinping to guide the development of China's policy toward Africa, people on both sides have helped each other and worked hand in hand, entering a new era of building a closer China-Africa community with a shared future.

Africa is my second hometown. Since the initiation of reform and opening-up in the late 1970s, I have been engaged in diplomatic affairs with Africa and formed an indissoluble bond with this vast land of promise. I have had the honor to be personally involved in and witness the leapfrog development of Sino-African relations, and am deeply impressed by the progress of China-Africa friendship and its ever-growing strength.

Leapfrog development of Sino-African relations

In August 2022, Xu visits Madagascar as the special representative of the Chinese government on African affairs, and meets with Madagascan President Andry Nirina Rajoelina.

During my four decades of work in diplomatic career, I took up to 100 trips to Africa and visited 49 African countries. Every time I can deeply feel their sincere friendship. Since the 1990s, I have accompanied four foreign ministers, including Qian Qichen (1928–2017), Tang Jiaxuan, Li Zhaoxing and Yang Jiechi, on many trips to Africa. It has become a tradition for the Chinese foreign minister to take Africa as their first visit, and this has been going on for 32 years running, a move that has deeply touched African friends. The Chinese nation values friendship and never forgets old friends. I have visited Namibia many times, and each time I have been cordially met by Samuel Daniel Shafiishuna Nujoma, the founding president of the country and one of the founders of the China-Namibia friendship. In July 2022, I visited Namibia again and drove 600 kilometers to Nujoma's hometown where he lives now. Despite his old age, Nujoma kept me company for the whole visit to the local clinics and schools he funded. This kind of visit helps renew friendship between the Chinese and African peoples. Thus China has maintained good relations with African countries.