Ｃｈｉｎｅｓｅ ａｎｄ Ａｆｒｉｃａｎ Ｗｏｍｅｎ Ｅｎｊｏｙ Ｇｏｏｄ Ｓｉｓｔｅｒｌｙ Ｆｒｉｅｎｄｓｈｉｐ

The friendly exchanges between Chinese and African women are an indispensable part of China’s diplomacy toward Africa. For half a century ever since China established diplomatic relations with African countries after its liberation， the exchanges between the Chinese and African women have been satisfactory and fruitful; their comradeship in the struggle against imperialism and colonialism has developed to sisterhood. Especially in the new situation of the new era， their exchanges have been expanding to various fields at all levels through different channels， showing a flourishing and vigorous new prospect.

As an old Chinese saying goes， “Nearby or far away， bosom friends are always close to each other.” Although China is far away from Africa， the friendly exchanges between women of the two sides have a long history. As early as July 1954， the All-China Women’s Federation (ACWF) invited a women’s delegation of the African National Congress of South Africa to come to China after the Berlin special meeting of the World Peace Council， clearly indicating Chinese women’s support for the African sisters who were fighting for national liberation. Since the Afro-Asian Women’s Conference held in Cairo in February 1958， the exchanges between Chinese and African women have grown closer day by day.

It is worth mentioning that since China’s reform and opening-up which have sped up the economic growth and increased the national strength， the women’s work of international exchanges has developed rapidly and thus， the exchanges between Chinese and African women have expanded unprecedentedly. In 1995， the U.N. Fourth World Conference on Women was held in Beijing. The Beijing Declaration and the Platform for Action have greatly influenced all countries in the world including the African countries. The Forum on China-Africa Cooperation jointly sponsored by the two sides in 2000 has provided a platform for pragmatic cooperation between the Chinese and African women. In recent period， the ACWF received several women delegations from Africa each year， while some high-level Chinese women’s delegations were sent to African countries to get together with African sisters for “Equality， Development and Peace”. During their stay in Africa， the delegations were warmly welcomed by the African women and the women’s organizations， and accorded courteous reception by many governments.

Peace and development remain the overriding issues of our times. As a developing country， China， like the African countries， is faced with the task of developing national economy and raising the people’s living standards. In order to help the African women make progress and development and support the work of their organizations， every year the ACWF， with all its efforts， provides some African women’s organizations with unconditional material and technical aids to meet their practical needs， including office appliances (computers， Xerox machines， etc.)， means of production (sewing machines， grain grinders， etc.)， stationeries， daily necessities and medicine， helping them improve their working conditions， upgrade their production capability， increase income and fight against diseases. On April 17， 1999， in Conakry， the capital city of Guinea， the president’s wife， prime minister’s wife， the minister of women， government officials and more than 300 women in their holiday best gathered together to celebrate the conclusion of a training course run by the sewing and embroidery group sent by ACWF. In tears of emotion the local women dressed in clothes made by themselves and held the certificates issued them by the wife of the president. The minister of women said with sincere feelings: “A Chinese proverb says ‘better to teach one how to fish than to give him fish’. Now， not only has the All-China Women’s Federation given us fish， but also taught us how to fish. You will be our friend forever!” Up to date， the ACWF has supplied women of over 40 African countries with more than 80 batches of aid， and， thus， forged close relationship with the women’s organizations of the recipient countries and deepened the mutual understanding and sisterly friendship between Chinese and African women.

At present， the ACWF has established contacts with over 100 women’s organizations in 46 African countries. With the development of the Sino-African new strategic partnership， the exchanges between Chinese and African women will grow with each passing day， which will enhance China’s influence in Africa as well as further consolidate and develop the friendship between Chinese and African people.

The author is the deputy director general of the International Liaison Department of the All-China Women’s Federation.