China Urges Global Support for Africa’s Peace, Development

China’s top envoy to the United Nations called on the international community on 6 October to sustain its backing for peace and development across Africa, delivering a three-point proposal at a Security Council open debate on cooperation between the UN and the African Union (AU).

Speaking at UN Headquarters in New York, Ambassador Fu Cong said Africa “is becoming an important pole of global influence” and described the UN-AU partnership as “a model of multilateral cooperation” that has played a key role in promoting peace, stability and development on the continent, according to Xinhua News Agency.

The remarks came during a scheduled thematic debate rather than a response to any specific new crisis. According to Security Council Report, the Council was expected to hold a briefing on cooperation with regional organizations focusing on the AU in October, with briefers including the Secretary-General’s Special Representative to the AU, Parfait Onanga-Anyanga, and AU Commissioner for Political Affairs and Peace and Security Bankole Adeoye.

A Three-Point Proposal

Fu’s proposal, carried by CCTV and other outlets, rested on three pillars.

First, he urged the political resolution of hotspot issues to advance African peace and stability. He called for support of “African solutions to African problems,” a common and cooperative security concept, and dialogue to resolve disputes. He also pressed for more funding for AU-led peace operations and full respect for African countries’ sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity.

Second, Fu appealed for greater development investment in Africa, keeping development at the center of UN-AU cooperation. He identified poverty reduction, food security, energy transition, education and health, and employment as priority areas, arguing that addressing these root causes would help eliminate the seedbeds of conflict. In a pointed passage, he said developed countries “should earnestly honor their development financing and climate financing commitments, and stop improper practices such as withdrawing capital and cutting off supply.” He also called for helping African countries build artificial intelligence capacity and close the digital divide.

Third, Fu called for reforming global governance to support Africa’s self-reliance. He said the historical injustices Africa has suffered must be corrected and Africa’s representation and voice in international affairs enhanced. He urged reform of the international financial architecture and warned against “interference in internal affairs, indiscriminate sanctions, and the plundering of resources.”

A Priority That Runs Deep

Fu framed the appeal within a milestone year: 2026 marks 70 years since China formally established diplomatic relations with African countries. “Over the past 70 years, no matter how the international landscape has changed, China has always made Africa a priority in its diplomacy and has always firmly stood with African countries,” he said.

He pointed to a concrete economic signal: earlier this year China fully implemented zero-tariff measures for all African countries with diplomatic ties. According to China’s State Council, tariffs were cut to zero from 1 May 2026 through 30 April 2028 for the 20 African countries with ties to China that are not classified as Least Developed Countries. Combined with an earlier blanket exemption for the 33 African Least Developed Countries from December 2024, the move made China the first major economy to achieve full zero-tariff coverage of African countries with diplomatic ties.

A Xinhua commentary on the policy noted that China’s position is meant to be non-exclusive, with no political conditions attached at the entry point, framing the tariff opening as a signal of support for open trade amid rising protectionism.

Broader Maneuvering

China’s engagement on African issues at the Council has been a recurring theme this year. Fu’s remarks followed China’s presidency of the Security Council in May 2026, when Beijing said its priorities included “supporting the stable development of African countries,” alongside revitalizing the authority of the UN Charter and advancing a political settlement of the Middle East question.

That continuity suggests the October statement is less a one-off gesture than part of a sustained diplomatic push to position China as a champion of the Global South. By pairing the language of anti-colonial justice and UN reform with a tangible trade concession, Beijing appears to be courting African governments at a moment of heightened global uncertainty.

What to Watch

The practical test of the proposals lies in follow-through. Fu’s call for increased funding for AU-led peace operations intersects with the unresolved future of Security Council resolution 2719, which governs the financing of AU Peace Support Operations and is due for review. Meanwhile, the annual consultations between the Security Council and the AU Peace and Security Council, set to take place in New York later this month, will reveal whether the rhetoric translates into concrete commitments.

For now, China’s message is clear: it wants Africa’s voice amplified on the world stage, with itself positioned as a leading advocate.