The 2012 China-Africa People's Forum opens today in Suzhou, southeast China. Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping will deliver a keynote speech at the forum's opening ceremony.

The 2012 China-Africa People's Forum opens in Suzhou, southeast China. [Photo: Lin Liyao / China.org.cn]

This year's forum, themed "People's Voice, People's Friendship and Cooperation for the People", will focus on "new ideas of win-win cooperation," "new measures of common development" and "new mechanisms of NGO exchanges" between China and Africa.

More than 300 representatives from Chinese and African non-government organizations, along with officials from the United Nations and the African Union will attend the two-day event.

Besides a plenary session and three panel meetings, there will also be a photo exhibition on China-Africa friendship and traditional Chinese and African art exhibitions to showcase China and Africa's very different yet equally colorful cultures.

The non-governmental exchange forum between China and Africa is jointly organized by the China NGO Network for International Exchanges (CNIE), the African Union and several African NGOs. The inaugural forum was held on August 29-30, 2011 in Nairobi, Kenya.