Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi said Saturday the third China-Africa Cooperation Forum, scheduled for 2006 in Beijing, will help African countries boost their multi-dimensional cooperation with China.

When meeting with China's Assistant Foreign Minister Lu Guozeng, Meles believed that the third forum in Beijing would further bring about various opportunities for African countries and China to enter into mutually beneficial investment and trade cooperation.

He said his government has ever been proud of hosting the forum for the first time in the African region, where some African leaders and most foreign ministers attended the forum.

The China-Africa Cooperation Forum was established in 2000 with the framework of collective dialogue between China and African countries to promote peace and development on the basis of equality.

The first conference was held in 2000 in Beijing, China, during which the Beijing Declaration was adopted. And the second forum, held in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa in late 2003, endorsed the Addis Ababa Action Plan after evaluating the Beijing Declaration.

Foreign ministers, trade and industry ministers, representatives of business community and more than 100 Chinese companies took part in the forum.

Meles said the third forum should focus on capacity building, helping train professionals for Africa.

He added the third forum should consider some priorities for future cooperation, which are trade and investment.

He also said China and African countries should do their utmost to spread the transcontinental forum so that African people could know it very well.

Lu said on his part that the Sino-Africa relations gain new momentum since the launch of the China-Africa Cooperation Forum in 2000.

He said the forum has set up a new cooperation mechanism for China and Africa, providing a platform for two sides to exchange views, strengthen understanding and extend cooperation.

Lu said the Chinese government would earnestly listen to the suggestions from African countries including Ethiopia over the preparation of the third forum.

Lu and his entourage arrived here Thursday for a two-day working visit.