On 11th August 2024, Chinese Ambassador H.E. Mr. Fan Yong puts an article titled Hold High the Banner of Reform and Opening Up and Break New Ground in China-Africa and China-Botswana Friendly Cooperation to local newspaper the Patriot. The full text is as follows：

The 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) convened its third plenary session in Beijing from July 15 to 18, 2024. Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the CPC, delivered an important address. This is a very important meeting held at a critical period for our endeavor to build a great country and move toward national rejuvenation on all fronts through Chinese modernization. The session delved into the new circumstances and challenges facing Chinese modernization, formulated systemic plans for further deepening reform across the board.

This meeting has sent a strong message to the world about China’s steadfast commitment to reform and opening up in the new era. A review of China's development history shows that China has made great strides to catch up with the times thanks to its reform and opening up. After the 18th CPC National Congress, China has successfully achieved its first centenary goal, also as a result of reform and opening up. Now to usher in a new phase of Chinese modernization and achieve the second centenary goal, China still needs to rely on reform and opening up. China's reform and opening up is guided by principles and has a clear direction, and the overall objectives are to continue to improve and develop the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and modernize China's system and capacity for governance. The Resolution adopted by the plenum has more than 20,000 characters, covering all aspects of promoting Chinese modernization, and offers a panoramic view of further deepening reform comprehensively. The Resolution lays out more than 300 important reform tasks, and makes it clear that all of them shall be completed by the time the People's Republic of China celebrates its 80th anniversary in 2029, which will provide a solid guarantee for Chinese modernization.

An open China is an important engine of global development and prosperity. In the first half of this year, China's imports and exports exceeded RMB 21 trillion for the first time, up 6.1 percent year on year, with some indicators achieving double-digit growth. In light of China's robust foreign trade, the International Monetary Fund revised up its 2024 Chinese GDP growth forecast to 5 percent in the latest update to its World Economic Outlook. Despite the rising instability and uncertainty in the global economy, China's economy continues to benefit from a solid foundation, strong resilience, enormous potential and robust driving forces and plays an important role as an anchor and source of strength. The long-term trajectory remains steady and sound. China's economy still plays an important role as an anchor and source of strength.

China's endeavor of further deepening reform comprehensively to advance Chinese modernization will create new opportunities for China and Africa to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation and thrive and prosper together. China is the largest developing country in the world, and Africa is the continent with the largest number of developing countries. Shared past experiences and similar aims and goals have brought China and Africa close together. China and Africa will always be a community of shared future. China has stayed committed to the principles of sincerity, real results, amity and good faith, and of pursuing the greater good and shared interests for China's relations with Africa proposed by President Xi Jinping. Together with the African friends and drawing strength from the spirit of China-Africa friendship and cooperation, the two sides have pressed ahead on the path of solidarity and cooperation and taken China-Africa relations to new heights.

China has remained Africa's largest trading partner for 15 years in a row. China-Africa's two-way trade in 2023 exceeded 282.1 billion US dollars, reaching a record high. China-Africa cooperation continues to develop in an all-round, multi-level and high-quality manner.

The 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) will be held in Beijing from September 4 to 6. It will be an event to celebrate China-Africa friendship, explore cooperation and chart the course for the future under the theme of “Joining Hands to Advance Modernization and Build a High-Level China-Africa Community with a Shared Future.” With the joint effort of China and Africa, the 2024 FOCAC Summit will be a great success, open up new vistas for China-Africa relationship and write a new chapter of building a China-Africa community with a shared future. 

China's endeavor of further deepening reform comprehensively to advance Chinese modernization will create new opportunities for China-Botswana friendly cooperation in the new era. Botswana is an important country in Africa, and has always been a true friend and good brother of China. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1975, China and Botswana have expanded cooperation in agriculture, health care, education, infrastructure, digital construction and other fields. In 2023, the total trade volume between China and Botswana increased by 15.7% year-on-year to US $710 million with an optimized trade structure. Recently, the 17th Chinese Medical team has arrived in Botswana, which will definitely write a new chapter in the medical and health cooperation between China and Botswana. What’s more, the Ramaeba Primary School in Kazungula built with China's assistance will be put into use this year, and the Legolo road project supported by China will also be launched this year.

Next year, China and Botswana will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. China stands ready to share with our Botswana friends the experiences and opportunities of China's development. We welcome Botswana to get on board the express train of China's development and jointly create a new chapter of China-Botswana friendly cooperation.

Given the enormous challenges facing economic globalization, countries in the world have a shared responsibility to oppose unilateralism and protectionism, uphold the global economic order, and keep industrial and supply chains secure and stable. China will further deepen reform across the board and in particular, pursue high-standard opening up to galvanize Chinese modernization, deliver more benefits of our opening up to African countries including Botswana through such platforms as Belt and Road cooperation and the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, so as to build an even stronger China-Africa community of shared future.