China’s plan to tag the rest of the world along in its development agenda is admirable and should be emulated by other developed nations, says African Union Commission former Deputy Chairperson, Erastus Mwencha.

Mwencha made the remarks in an interview with CGTN Africa, in which he expressed his satisfaction with China-Africa relations.

“This is an aspect that I have always admired, particularly under the leadership of President Xi Jinping,” said Mwencha. “China’s contribution to the global economy is much higher than many of the developed countries. China believed that China’s prosperity is also linked to the rest of the world’s prosperity. That is a deep sense, that to me, I find it very encouraging.”

Mwencha indicated that over the past decade, China has made remarkable achievements in economics, technological development and ecological construction. He noted that Africa could draw lessons from the achievements in its quest to develop itself.

He acknowledged the budding China-Africa cooperation across many sectors, which he said had already achieved immense success on the continent.

Mwencha cited Kenya’s Standard Gauge Railway, (SGR) which links the capital Nairobi to the coastal city of Mombasa, as a prime example of the success of China’s relationship with African nations.

Mwencha says SGR has brought positive impacts on Kenyans since it was launched in 2017.

“You see the number of passengers that take it on a daily basis. That tells you (SGR’s importance). But it has also given Mombasa a new lifeline. So, it has boosted domestic tourism but also contributed to the reduction of carbon emissions today. You can see the impact it has had on the global economy.”

With the success already achieved from the China-Africa cooperation, Mwencha believes Chinese and African people will share a joint future through an equal, effective and collaborative relationship.