Xi Jinping, China's vice president, delivered a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the second China-Africa People's Forum, a non-governmental exchange platform between China and Africa, which opened today in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province.

"I hope that political leaders and delegates from various social sectors can make full use of this platform to freely air their opinions and have thorough discussions on the three principles of China-Africa people-to-people exchanges that began in the Nairobi Declaration of the first China-Africa People's Forum. We need new and greater contributions for a new type of China-Africa strategic partnership."

Xi said that the Chinese government and people are always eager to support people-to-people exchanges, and would like to see NGOs on both sides become more actively involved in China-Africa cooperation.

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.

At the end of the speech, Xi also suggested five points to push for constant development for a new type of China-Africa relationship:

"First, carry forward the good traditions and safeguard common interests; second, keep abreast with the times and keep blazing new trails; third, persist in pragmatic cooperation for mutual benefit; fourth, strengthen solidarity and cooperation and jointly build a harmonious world; fifth, seek all-round cooperation for an all-dimensional development of China-Africa relations."

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.