On February 5, 2022, President Xi Jinping sent a message to the 35th African Union Summit to extend warm congratulations to the African countries and people.

Xi Jinping pointed out that this year marks the 20th anniversary of the founding of the African Union (AU). Holding high the banner of building a stronger African continent through unity over the past 20 years, the AU has been actively exploring development paths suited to African conditions. It has helped make significant achievements in regional integration, coordinated the solidarity of African countries in the fight against COVID-19, vigorously safeguarded the peace, stability and development of Africa, and spearheaded the continuous rise of Africa's international influence and standing.

Xi Jinping stressed that the year 2021 has witnessed prosperous development of China-Africa relations. Last November, the Eighth Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) was held successfully. During the conference, I announced the "nine programs" under the first three-year plan of the China-Africa Cooperation Vision 2035, and joined the attending African leaders in the unanimous support of building a China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era. Under new circumstances, China stands ready to work with the African side to actively implement the outcomes of FOCAC meetings, and advance the in-depth synergy among Belt and Road cooperation, the Global Development Initiative, the AU's Agenda 2063 and the building of Free Trade Area, so as to bring China-Africa cooperation to a higher level with more extensive fields, and write a new chapter in China-Africa friendship.