Senior Chinese leaders Jiang Zemin, Zhu Rongji, along with the presidents of Togo, Algeria, Zambia and Tanzania delivered important speeches at the China-Africa Cooperation Forum -- Ministerial Conference Beijing 2000 from October 10-12, which was attended by nearly 80 ministers from African countries and leaders of about 20 international and African regional organizations.

The editorial notes the two documents adopted at the forum, China-Africa Cooperation Forum Beijing Declaration and Program for China-Africa Cooperation in Economic and Social Development, which have mapped out the development course for the long-term, stable and mutually-beneficial Sino-African partnership in the 21st century.

The participants exchanged viewpoints and reached wide consensus on the establishment of a fair and just international political and economic order and the strengthening of Sino-African economic and trade cooperation.

Representatives from both sides agreed that the forum provides a good opportunity for China and African countries to coordinate their positions on the challenges of globalization, promoting world peace and development, and protecting the interests of developing countries.

The editorial recalls the time-honored friendship between China and African countries which was forged by the older generation of Chinese leaders and forerunners of the African movement for national liberation and has continued to grow under the care of Jiang and other senior Chinese leaders of the third generation and African leaders.

Noting that economic and trade cooperation is a major part of Sino-African friendship and cooperation under the new situation, the editorial says such cooperation has great potential with China's technology and management expertise, Africa's rich resources and huge market, and strong political will from both sides.

China is the world's largest developing country, while Africa is the world's largest developing continent. Sino-African cooperation and mutual development will not only benefit the Chinese and African people, but also will make a huge contribution to the prosperity and development of mankind, the editorial says.

It concludes that the historic forum and the diplomacy of the People's Republic of China will push Sino-African friendship and cooperation to a new level in the new century and have a positive impact on South-South cooperation and South-North dialogue.

(People’s Daily 10/12/2000)