China's growth inspires world, ambassador says

Guinean diplomat especially impressed by emphasis on common prosperity

Aminata Koita, the top envoy of Guinea to China, said she believes that China's modernization is an impressive process of transformation that has enabled China to become one of the world's leading economies and make significant progress in various fields.

"As the ambassador of the Republic of Guinea to China, I am particularly interested in the experiences we can draw from China's development," Koita told China Daily in a recent interview.

As the report to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China has noted, a Chinese path to modernization is characterized by five features that are unique to the Chinese context: the modernization of a huge population, common prosperity for all, material and cultural-ethical advancement, harmony between humanity and nature, and peaceful development.

The Guinean ambassador said she was especially impressed by China's emphasis on common prosperity and harmony between humanity and nature.

"Guinea is a country that faces many development challenges, and we believe that these aspects of China's modernization can inspire our own development efforts," she said.

Moreover, Koita said that China's modernization can be very helpful to all developing countries. For example, China has implemented innovative policies and programs in areas such as agriculture, education and health, which can be useful for other developing countries looking to improve their development.

In addition, China has proposed initiatives such as the Belt and Road that aim to promote international cooperation and sustainable development and can offer opportunities for developing countries, she said.

China-Guinea relations have enjoyed sound and steady growth since the two countries established diplomatic ties in 1959.Guinea was the first sub-Saharan African country to establish diplomatic relations with China.

According to the Guinean ambassador, the Guinean transitional government sent its first high-level delegation to visit China in January. It was the first government-level delegation to visit China soon after the country optimized its COVID-19 response measures.

Koita said the visit was part of exchanges on the start of the Simandou iron ore project, of which China is the main partner. Guinea has the world's largest reserves of bauxite, approximately 20 billion metric tons with a high level (45 to 62 percent) of alumina, which is exceptional.

"We are happy to see that Chinese companies have been good partners in the exploitation of our bauxite resources, and we are convinced that our cooperation in this area will continue to benefit both Guinea and China in the years to come," she said.

The ambassador also noted that Guinea has all the necessary factors for successful agricultural development, including fertile land, an ideal climate, abundant water resources and other exceptionally favorable natural conditions.

While these advantages are opportunities for the country to strengthen its agricultural sector and promote sustainable economic growth, China, on the other hand, has complementary assets, including capital, technology and good equipment, Koita said.

"That is why Guinea strongly hopes that cooperation with China will take place on all levels, based on the principles of friendship, sincerity, reciprocity and inclusivity," she added.