The Chinese president Xi Jinping committed today Thursday to make available to Africa funding of 50 billion dollars over the next three years and that his country will contribute to the creation of one million jobs on the continent.

“Over the next three years, the Chinese government is ready to provide financial support of 360 billion yuan ($50.7 billion),” President Xi told the China-Africa summit in Beijing, while promising that his government will help create “at least one million jobs”.

Xi Jinping insisted that his government is “ready to deepen cooperation” with the African continent in the field of economy. He assured that China-Africa relations know the “best period in history”.

The world’s second-largest economy, China, is the African continent’s biggest trading partner: bilateral trade reached $168 billion (nearly €152 billion) in the first half, according to official Chinese media.

It has also sent hundreds of thousands of workers and engineers to Africa over the past two decades to handle major projects, while securing privileged access to the continent’s vast natural resources, especially copper, gold and lithium deposits.

A total of 25 African heads of state have confirmed their attendance at the China-Africa Cooperation Forum meeting, according to an AFP tally.

This is the largest diplomatic meeting organized by Beijing after the new coronavirus pandemic.

The Forum will end tomorrow Friday.