Nigerians and, indeed, Africans have applauded the recent Four-Point proposition made by Chinese President Xi Jinping on mining cooperation, describing China’s engagement with Africa as a reflection of a visionary, sincere and deeply people-centered statesmanship anchored on friendship, mutual respect and shared destiny.
Chinese President Xi Jinping emerged last week with a four-point proposition on China-Botswana and China-Africa mining cooperation, which focuses on the management of African resources for the overall development of Africa and its people.

As a continent with ample natural and human resources, Africa has attained a self-sustaining age. Unfortunately, many have blamed its predicament largely on external influence, most of which are exploitative.
However, a shift in foreign policy thrust towards China has benefited most Africa countries, including Nigeria in various areas, one of which is infrastructural development and exchange programmes, an approach is not transactional but transformational and guided by a profound respect for Africa’s sovereignty, history and development aspirations.
Hence, the latest proposition did not come as a surprise. The four-point proposition supports African resources belonging to the continent with Beijing promising to stand ready to share its experience and help African countries formulate mining development plans that are consistent with their national conditions.
The second point holds that the guiding philosophy should be a right approach to friendship and interests and ensuring mutual benefit.

“China will continue to encourage Chinese companies to enhance their operational capacity, transfer green technologies that suit Africa’s conditions, and promote South-South cooperation in mining development.”
The third point stipulates that the direction of cooperation should be high-quality development. In this circumstance, China reiterates commitment to continually move China-Africa mining cooperation towards industrial value addition, explore new financing models that are affordable and sustainable, and support Africa’s modernization through high-standard cooperation.
The fourth however expresses the crucial need of a fair and open cooperation environment.

“Africa’s resources should not be used for geopolitical rivalry. China would be glad to see other parties providing genuine support for Africa’s development and stands ready to work with Africa to create more enabling conditions for business investment and operation”, Xi proposed.
Considering the importance of steel as the backbone of Africa’s development, President Xi Jinping’s suggestion that Africa should wisely manage its resources for its own overall development is both profoundly wise and deeply respectful.
“There is no modern economy that was built without steel. Steel is roads, railways, bridges, skyscrapers, power plants, automobiles, ships, and defense.
“For Africa that is home to over 30 per cent of the world’s mineral reserves, including vast deposits of iron ore in Nigeria, Guinea, South Africa, and Liberia, continuously export raw iron ore and an in turn, import finished steel is an economic contradiction”, said a public affairs analyst, Gregory Onumah.

Adding: “This is the reason President Xi’s suggestion is timely, benevolent and” strategic.
For President Xi, the idea is not resource nationalism but the wisdom in managing it. Consequently, his admonition is that Africa should not just excavate for export but refine, fabricate and industrialize.
“When Africa processes its iron ore into steel at home – for example, reviving the Ajaokuta Steel Complex in Nigeria, it creates more jobs, retains foreign exchange and builds indigenous technical capacity.
“China itself walked this path. China was once a resource exporter. Under wise leadership, it decided to build capacity and today produces over 50 per cent of the world’s steel.
“President Xi is sharing that developmental wisdom with Africa as a sincere friend in these propositions and it behooves on African leaders to adopt it for today and tomorrow’s development.

Also, President Xi’s suggested partnership is advisory rather than prescriptive and this reflects respect for Africa’s sovereignty and the choice to decide on issue affecting it.
Rather than compel Africa to cut off the world, President Xi stresses the need for Africa to be the primary beneficiary of its own natural resources.
This no doubt, is the entire essence of his principle of sincerity and good faith.

Unlike the historical model where Africa’s resources fueled others’ industrial revolutions, Xi’s vision through FOCAC and the Belt and Road Initiative is to support Africa to build its own industrial parks, steel plants, and special economic zones – so that African resources build African cities.

In another development, President X during his meeting with the President of the Council of Ministers of Togo, Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé in China, proposes another four principles for constructive participation in settling Africa’s hotspot issues in Africa.
He believed strongly that African people are the true masters of their continent and as such, should play a central role in regional affairs. In what he described as ‘upholding fairness and justice’, he suggested that all participating parties should abide by the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter, and respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the countries concerned,
The third proposal focuses on promoting cease of hostilities in warning nations and the importance of peaceful reconciliation.

“Wars and unilateral sanctions cannot fundamentally resolve conflicts between countries. It is imperative to uphold mutual respect, conduct extensive consultations, seek common ground while shelving differences, and practice mutual understanding and accommodation”, Xi said.
Addressing both symptoms and root causes of conflicts, Beijing proposed efforts towards restoring immediate security while planning for long-term development.
Generally, President Xi Jinping’s suggestion should be seen as the counsel of a trusted development partner that understands the essence of true friendship, which is not about giving fish but helping to build the capacity to fish.