Manuel Pinto da Costa, former president of Sao Tome and Principe, is pictured during an interview with Xinhua on Aug. 19, 2025. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

SAO TOME, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression tremendously inspired African nations in their struggles for independence and national liberation, said Manuel Pinto da Costa, the 88-year-old former president of Sao Tome and Principe.

In an interview with Xinhua, Pinto da Costa said that China's victory in the war not only profoundly changed the international landscape, but also forged deep bonds of friendship between Africa and China along the path of pursuing independence and national development.

China's victory demonstrated to the world that when people yearn for freedom and liberation, no force can stand in their way, he said. "This victory convinced the African people that as long as the people stand united, the pursuit of independence and liberation is always possible."

Pinto da Costa, Sao Tome and Principe's first president after independence, noted that China strongly supported African nations in their pursuit of independence and liberation, which continuously strengthened the political friendship between China and Africa.

He recalled that Sao Tome and Principe endured a long period of colonial rule, noting that starting in the 1950s and 1960s, the African liberation movement flourished, and an increasing number of African countries, including Sao Tome and Principe, gained independence.

However, he stressed, independence did not mean the end of the struggle, as colonial powers continued to pursue neocolonialism by installing puppet governments, inciting coups, and controlling resources and markets.

Although 80 years have passed since the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War, wars, hegemonism and interference persist today, he noted, adding that for a long time, international affairs have been dominated by a few Western countries while the interests of developing nations were neglected.

He highlighted that China-proposed global initiatives, which emphasize mutual benefit and common development, are providing developing countries with an important platform to secure a greater voice in reforming the international governance system.

The rise of emerging forces such as the BRICS countries has created new opportunities for Global South countries to pursue equality, opening up broader development prospects, he said.

He stressed that African countries must strengthen unity and advance integration in areas such as currencies, markets, industries and infrastructure, while enhancing cooperation with partners, including China.

"China's development experience offers valuable inspiration to Africa," he said, noting that Sao Tome and Principe, strategically located in the Gulf of Guinea, hopes to further strengthen cooperation with China in infrastructure, such as deep-water ports and airports, under the frameworks of the Belt and Road Initiative and the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation.

"China's model of cooperation with African countries is fundamentally different from the approaches we experienced in the past. China has demonstrated a path of equality and mutual benefit," he said.

By working hand in hand under the new international landscape, China, Africa and the wider developing world will open up broader opportunities for peace and development, he added. ■