The first China-Africa Youth Festival closed Monday in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong Province in south China.

Hu Wei, member of the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League of China, described the festival as a momentous gathering in the history of friendly exchange between Chinese and African youths, to which the governments of China and African countries attached great importance.

The closing of the festival, he said, was not an end but a new beginning.

"We are willing to take the festival as an opportunity to continuously open up a vast world for the mutual learning and cooperation between Chinese and African youths," Hu said.

Americo Nasciniento from Cape Verde said that through many visiting activities, the African youths have learned more about China's history, culture and economic development.

The festival was an excellent cultural exchange activity which will create a wonderful future for Africa and China future, said Egyptian delegate Ayman Shawky, who hoped that China would provide full support to Egypt which is to host the second China-Africa Youth Festival next year.

The African youths participating in the festival arrived in Guangzhou on Monday after visits to Beijing and Henan and Hubei provinces.

The first China-Africa Youth Festival, which lasted from Aug. 23 to 30 and attracted 132 delegates from 44 African countries, was organized according to the proposal Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao put forward at the second China-Africa Cooperation Ministerial Conference in Ethiopia last December.