China-Africa friendship remains rock-solid and stable, no matter what the international situation they face and what difficulties, obstacles, or disruptions they encounter, said Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

Wang made the remarks during an interview with the People's Daily as he concluded on January 9 his visits to five African nations, namely Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Botswana, Tanzania and Seychelles.

Noting that China is the largest developing country, while Africa is the continent where developing countries are most concentrated, he said the two sides enjoy profound traditional friendship.

In the cause of independence and liberation of African nations, China and Africa were good comrades-in-arms and good brothers through thick and thin, and in the process of Africa's modernization, they are good partners for common development and good friends for win-win cooperation, he added.

Meanwhile, in upholding the common rights and interests of developing countries and promoting greater democracy in international relations, China and Africa also work shoulder to shoulder and stand back to back, he said.

During this visit, the message sent by China and Africa to the outside world is very clear, Wang noted.

The two sides both cherish the friendly tradition and are determined to carry it forward, and they both affirm their strong support for each other and vow to jointly safeguard national sovereignty and dignity, he explained.

They both shoulder the mission of national rejuvenation and stand ready to join hands to safeguard their legitimate right to development, and they are both committed to fairness and justice, advocate true multilateralism and oppose any external interference, he added.

Amid the once-in-a-century COVID-19 pandemic and unprecedented global changes, facing the countercurrent of unilateralism, protectionism and power politics, China and Africa, Wang said, are working together in the same direction to gather the mighty strength of the 2.7 billion Chinese and African people, which constitutes the strongest guarantee for safeguarding their common interests.

Going forward, China and Africa will further strengthen strategic coordination to enrich their comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields to accelerate common development, step up people-to-people and cultural exchanges to enhance mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples, Wang said.

China and Africa will also increase coordination in international affairs to help shape the international order toward greater justice and equity, and further forge a common understanding to jointly build an even stronger China-Africa community with a shared future, he added.