China vows to work with Africa on nuclear tech, satellites and space
President Xi Jinping tells African leaders at summit that ‘no country should be left behind’ on the path to modernisation
“On the path to modernisation, no one, and no country, should be left behind,” he said.
Space exploration might not be a priority for African nations grappling with issues such as poverty, famine, disease and access to clean water and electricity. But Xi argued that it would take more than aid and new infrastructure to create a modern and prosperous Africa. He said a stable environment for development would also require more science and technology education, more skilled workers and research.
Xi told the dozens of African leaders at the summit that China would help to achieve this by building an engineering technology academy, establishing research collaborations on nuclear technology, satellite navigation and other areas, and by creating an alliance for innovation in agriculture.
“China is ready to launch 30 clean energy projects in Africa, put in place meteorological early warning systems, and carry out cooperation in disaster prevention, mitigation and relief as well as biodiversity conservation,” Xi said.
In addition, he said China would help African nations expand their agricultural industries and improve their public health systems – including by investing in pharmaceutical production and building medical centres.
“All this is designed to help with green development in Africa,” Xi said.
