WorkTogethertoFightagainstCOVID-19andBuildanEvenStrongerChina-AfricaCommunityPresidentXiJinpingpointedoutthatChinaandAfrica,withasimilarfateinthepastandacommonmission,havelongformedacommunitywithasharedfuture,andhaveextendedsympathytoandhelpedeachotherthroughouttheyears.InthefaceofthechallengeposedbytheCOVID-19pandemic,unitingtofightthepandemicisthereasonwhyweproposedtobuildacommunitywithasharedfutureformankindinthefirstplace.Atthebeginningofthenewyear,StateCouncilorandForeignMinisterWangYipaidvisitstoNigeria,Congo,Botswana,Tanzania,andSeychelles.Itisthe31stconsecutiveyearforChina’sForeignMinistertostarthisoverseastripwithAfrica.ThesuddenonslaughtofCOVID-19hastakenaheavytollonAfricancountries.Theminister’svisitsfocusedonsupportingAfricancountriestofightagainstthevirusandworkingwithAfricatoachieveoursharedgoalofbuildingacloserChina-Africacommunitywithasharedfuture.Backin2020,attheearlystageoftheCOVID-19pandemic,leadersofmorethan50AfricancountriesshowedtheirsupportsfortheChinesepeopleandpraisedChina’scontributionstoglobalpublichealth.AftertheoutbreakinAfrica,ChinatooktheleadinassistingAfricannationsandlaunchedthelargesthumanitarianaidthroughprovidingmedicalsuppliesto53AfricancountriesandtheAfricanUnion,whichgreatlyeasedtheirsupplyshortage.Chinaalsodispatchedmedicalexpertteamsto15AfricancountriesandheldvideoconferenceswithallAfricancountriestoexchangefirst-handexperienceinviruspreventionandcontrol.China-AfricahealthcooperationisabigstepforwardinbuildingtheChina-Africacommunitywithasharedfuture.Chinesegovernmentrealizedthatunderthedoublechallengesofthepandemicandeconomicdownturn,stabilizingtheeconomy,promotingemployment,andensuringpeople’slivelihoodsisofgreatsignificancetoAfricancountries.AttheChina-AfricaSummitheldinJune2020,PresidentXideliveredaspeechtitled“DefeatingCOVID-19withSolidarityandCooperation”,callingformoreeffortstomobilizenecessaryresources,sticktogetherincollaboration,andattachmoreimportancetopublichealth,resumptionofworkandproduction,andimprovementofpeople’slives.ThisisasignificantstrategicguideandapathforwardforChina-Africacooperationunderthenewsituation.In2021,ChinaandAfricawillusherinthetriennialministerialmeetingoftheFOCAC.ChinahasalwaysbelievedthatpromotingsustainabledevelopmentinAfricaisthelong-termwaytobuildacloserChina-Africacommunitywithasharedfuture.Tothisend,thisyear,theministerialmeetingwillfocusonthethreeprioritiesofvaccinecooperation,economicrecovery,andtransformationaldevelopment,andstrengthenChina-Africacooperationinhealth,productioncapacity,regionalconnectivity,agriculture,digitaltechnology,environmentalprotection,military,andpersonnelskillstraining.Thesearenotonlyvisionsbutalsoresponsibilities.Atpresent,thecoronavirus’secondwaveissurgingacrosstheAfricancontinent.FightingandeventuallyovercomingthepandemicisadifficultchallengeformanyAfricancountriesandalsoforChina-Africacooperation.InresponsetoAfrica’ssituation,ChinaonceagainmadeclearthatwewillcontinuetoprovidesuppliesanddispatchexpertteamstoAfrica,acceleratetheconstructionoftheAfricanCDCheadquarters,cooperatewithAfricancountriesondevelopingvaccines,andenhancetheavailability,accessibility,andaffordabilityofthevaccines.ThesearenotonlyChina’scommitmentbutalsoChina’sresponsibility.China-Africacooperationonvaccinesdrewthebroadestattention.Currently,vaccineshavebecomethemostcriticalstrategicmaterialandelementintheglobalfightagainstthevirus.Earlier,attheopeningceremonyofthe73rdWorldHealthAssemblyvideoconferenceheldinMay2020,PresidentXipromisedthatChinawouldmakethevaccinesaglobalpublicproductonceitiscompletedandputintouse.TomakeChina’scontributioninenhancingtheavailability,accessibility,andaffordabilityofthevaccinesindevelopingcountries,attheChina-AfricaSummit,hefurtherpromisedthatoncethedevelopmentanddeploymentoftheCOVID-19vaccinearecompletedinChina,Africancountrieswillbeamongthefirsttobenefit.TocooperatewithAfricancountriesonvaccineresearchanddevelopment,Chinahasalreadytakenpracticalactions.OnDecember11,2020,thefirstdoseofChina’sSinopharmCOVID-19vaccinearrivedinCairo,Egypt.OnJanuary10,2021,SeychellesrolledouttheCOVID-19vaccination.ChinawillopenmorebilateralchannelstoAfricancountriesandeventuallybenefittheAfricanpeople.WehavereasonstobelievethatChina’svaccineswillmakeagreatcontributiontoAfrica’svictoryoverthepandemic.Thepandemicwillpass,andwehaveseenthelightattheendofthetunnel.Althoughwecannotpredictwhenandinwhatwaythepandemicwillend,webelievethatdaywillcomesoon.Intheannalsoftheglobalfightagainstthepandemic,China-Africacooperationwillbeoneofthemostimportantandpreciouschapters.ConbributedbyShenXiaolei,ChineseAcademyofSciences,BeijingTranslatedbyRenMeiqi