Cooperation framework key to further promote China-Africa relations
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China and Africa will continue to strengthen the economic and trade cooperation within the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) framework.
The Information Office of the State Council, China's Cabinet, said in a white paper on China-Africa economic and trade cooperation published Thursday.
Founded in 2000 by China and Africa, the FOCAC has formed dialogue and cooperation mechanisms at various levels such as ministerial conferences, senior official meetings and entrepreneurs' conferences.
So far, four ministerial conferences and a summit have been held within this framework.
At the fourth FOCAC Ministerial Conference held in 2009, China declared a new eight-point plan covering agriculture, environmental protection, investment promotion, debt reduction and cancellation, wider market access, education, and medical care and public health.
These eight commitments, focusing on improving the living standards of the African people and helping African countries solve their current practical problems to realize sustainable growth.
At the Beijing Summit and third Ministerial Conference of FOCAC in 2006, China announced an eight-point plan for strengthening practical China-Africa cooperation and supporting the development of Africa.
The plan proposed in 2006, including increasing assistance, providing preferential loans and raising the number of African export items to China eligible for zero-tariff treatment, were fully in place by the end of 2009.
At the second FOCAC Ministerial Conference in 2003, China pledged to increase aid to Africa, enhance cooperation in the sphere of human resources development and give zero-tariff treatment to some of the exported products from the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) in Africa with diplomatic ties with China.
At the first FOCAC Ministerial Conference China announced it would reduce or cancel African countries' debts to China, and encouraged Chinese companies to invest in Africa and train professionals for Africa.
China's commitments, which offered through the FOCAC, help all African countries having diplomatic ties with China, and provide practical benefits to these countries and their peoples.
The 29-page white paper is China's first of the kind on the country's economic and trade cooperation with Africa.
