CAIRO - China and Africa are urged to mutually deepen and expand their co-operation to maintain the vitality of a co-operation forum they launched ten years ago, according to a Chinese diplomat. “One decade ago, the grand opening of the 1st Ministerial Conference Beijing 2000 of the Forum on China- Africa Co-operation marked the establishment of the FOCAC. Since then a brand new platform for collective dialogue between China and African countries has been shaped up and the cooperation between the two sides officially embarked on an institutionalised track,” said Chinese Ambassador in Egypt Song Aiguo at a ceremony marking the FOCAC anniversary. “The founding of the FOCAC represents a major strategic choice that China and Africa made to keep up with the challenges of globalisation and to seek common development with joint efforts. It reflects the strong momentum and great potential for friendly co-operation between China and Africa in the new era.” Over the part decade, he continued, with joint efforts from both sides, the FOCAC system has grown more sophisticated and richer in contents and become a flag that guides the development of China-African relation in the new era. According to Aiguo, China-Africa trade surged from $10.6 billion in 2000 to $91 billion in 2009, which makes China the No.1 trading partner of Africa. “Annual Chinese direct investment in Africa increased from $210 million to $1.44 billion and the total amount of all Chinese investment accumulated to $32.3 billion, while annual African direct investment in China grew from $280 million to $1.31 billion,” he said. “Over 2000 Chinese overseas enterprises were set up in Africa making Africa the fourth largest investment destination for China.” The Chinese envoy, who arrived in Cairo late last month, noted that the Suez Economic and Trade Co-operation Zone in Egypt's Gulf of Suez is a fruitful result of the FOCAC. “Since its establishment three years ago, the overall infrastructure of the zone has been completed, and a framework of development has evolved with four leading industries including petroleum facilities, high and low voltage electrical equipment, automobiles and motorcycles, textiles and garments. “Nearly 30 enterprises have been set up in the zone with good production order. The remarkable achievement of the zone is an epitome of the ever-deepening friendship between China and Africa, as well as between China and Egypt.”
