Leaders from eight African countries will attend the opening ceremony of the fifth ministerial conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) on July 19 in Beijing, a Foreign Ministry spokesman announced Friday.

Spokesman Liu Weimin made the announcement at a regular press briefing.

The African leaders include President of South Africa Jacob Zuma, President of Benin Boni Yayi, President of Equatorial Guinea Teodoro Nguema Mbasogo, Djibouti's President Ismail Omar Guelleh, Niger's President Mahamadou Issoufou, President of Cote d'ivoire Alassane Dramane Ouattara, Prime Minister of Cape Verde Jose Maria Pereira Neves and Prime Minister of Kenya Raila Amollo Odinga, according to the spokesman.

President of South Africa and five other African countries will also visit China at the invitation of President Hu Jintao, Liu said.