No Regrets in Africa

FOR those who feel drawn to Africa but have no opportunities to set feet on the continent and experience it for themselves, Africa– A Lifetime of Memories: My Experiences and Understanding of Africa is an ideal choice. This memoir sets forth the journey of a young official who spent decades in Africa and grew to be an expert on African culture and customs as well as ChinaAfrica relations.

The author, Wei Jianguo, has been engaged in economic and trade cooperation with Africa since 1972, when he began his career in foreign trade. Weis extensive experience in Africa is paid tribute to by Li Changchun in the books introduction, saying, “From his first job in the Ministry of Foreign Trade(now Ministry of Commerce) in 1972 to his retirement from the post of Vice Minister of Commerce in 2008, he spent 37 years in posts relating to African affairs. He has traveled to all 54 African countries, and spent nearly 20 years serving in Chinese embassies in three African countries (Morocco, Tunisia and Gabon). He is very familiar with African conditions and customs, and all other matters relating to Africa. He has formed a strong attachment to the African continent that will stay with him all his life. It is his true feelings throughout this book that make many of the passages so touching.”

As mentioned above, in the early 1970s, Wei, fresh from university, was just a junior staff member of the Ministry of Foreign Trade, headquartered on Changan Avenue in downtown Beijing. By 2006, when he participated in planning and organizing the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), he was Vice Minister of Commerce responsible for China-Africa economic and trade affairs, and one of the two co-chairs of the the forums Chinese Follow-up Committee. At the Summit, Wei accompanied Hu Jintao and other state leaders in meeting heads of African countries in the Great Hall of the People. Wei never dreamed that his career would take this course. “I have to admit that my lifetime career was not of my own volition,” he writes.“Destiny led me to that career, rather than choice, I nevertheless have no regrets.”

The value of the memoir is not only in Weis personal experiences and reflections on work and life, but in the presentation of the historical process of China-Africa cooperation through the eyes of a man personally active in that development over several decades.

Since 1956, China has established ambassadorial level diplomatic relations with most African countries, ushering in a new era of Sino-African relations. Over the decades, in order to promote friendly cooperation between China and Africa, a large number of Chinese people working in different fields have headed to the continent to work on Chinaaided engineering projects, medical programs, trade and cultural exchanges. Their dedication has built a strong bond between Chinese and African peoples.

Wei recalls many touching encounters between people from both sides. One is meeting a little African girl singing the popular Chinese song The Full Moon in the Guangxi dialect as he strolled along a beach one night. It turned out that she had learned the song from Chinese workers on a China-funded project. When they missed home, the workers often sang the song, looking wistfully up at the moon. Its melody had become popular among the locals.

The author sets forth a wealth of engaging historical scenes of China-Africa friendship, zooming in on stories of Chinese workers, doctors and engineers who have left behind their families to help local communities in Africa. Wei makes first-hand observations on the far-reaching significance of 60 years of remarkable achievements that have come from Sino-African cooperation.

This memoir also leads readers to appreciate Africas spectacular natural landscapes, understand its diverse customs and traditions, and learn about its rich history, wide range of geographical features and little known local stories.

This book is of great value, if only for cultivating the mind and expanding personal horizons. For readers interested in a senior Chinese officials unforgettable personal experiences in Africa, or in gaining insight into the historical course of China-Africa cooperation and a comprehensive understanding of the investment environment in Africa, this memoir has a lot to offer.

Reading between the lines, readers can decipher the authors strong emotions towards the continent. “For 37 years I measured the continent with my feet, traveling around in rain or shine, by water or by air,”he writes, when summarizing his experiences in Africa. “My stay of more than three decades made the African desert and forest as familiar to me as Chinas Central Plain, and its exotic drum music became as familiar as Peking Opera.” Wei, now retired, is secretary general of China Center for International Economic Exchanges.