The imminent Forum on China-Africa Co-operation (FOCAC) in Beijing, which is expected to draw heads of state or government and high-ranking officials from more than 40 African countries, is a great, historic event in Sino-African ties. The summit undoubtedly ushers in a new period of development in Sino-African relations.

Reviewing the whole course of external relations of the People's Republic of China (PRC) from its founding in October 1949, Sino-African ties have been a very bright spot. Wu Jianmin, president of the Foreign Affairs University, cited the success of China's African diplomacy as "by no means accidental" but with "a host of factors", whenever he was asked by diplomats from the United States and European nations in his long diplomatic career.

First of all, he said, Sino-African ties are built on the basis of equality and mutual respect.

China is a nation with an ancient civilization of some 5,000 years, but it began falling back and lagging behind in modern times from mid 19th century. In more than 100 years after the Opium War from 1840 to 1842, its people were subjected to insult and humiliation. With a century-long experience of untold sufferings, the Chinese people know all the more clearly the importance of treating others as equals. Sino-African ties have been based on equality and mutual respect from the very beginning. From the first day of its establishment, PRC has firmly stood for the equality of all nations irrespective of their sizes. China pays a high respect to African nations in dealing with its relations with them. In the course of their contact and communication with China, these nations have become deeply aware of this guideline of China's. So Sino-African ties built on basis of equality and mutual respect are sincere and also the most enduring.

Secondly, Sino-African ties are relevant to the theme of the times, he noted, and comply with demands of both sides.

In the era of revolution and revolution, the theme of the times concerns war and revolution. The national liberation movement surged ahead globally for a fairly long period of time in the 20th century, and both the liberation struggles of the Chinese people and the national liberation movement of the African people constitute part of this big, raging tide. In the processes for their respective independence, China and Africa have always rendered each other mutual support, help and sympathy.

In its post-founding days, the PRC, though very weak in its national strength, supported the African people in their struggles for independence and against racial discrimination and racial segregation, to the best of its capability. After the independence of these African nations, China also provided aid to them within its ability. In return, African nations also offered their valuable assistance and help to China. The 26 UN General Assembly in 1971 restored to PRC its legitimate seat in the United Nations, and its African brothers were among those who had worked hard at the forefront to attain the goal.

Since the theme of the era was gradually shifted from the subject of war and revolution to the topic of peace and development in the late 20th century, Sino-African ties kept pace with the times and, along with the passage and changes of the times, Sino-African ties were relevant more closely to the theme of the contemporary era, namely, peace and development. FOCAC emerged in Oct. of 2000 as the times required. A mechanism is required to enable Sino-African cooperation to advance steadily along a healthy track, and FOCAC is precisely such a track. And this year's FOCAC is a summit in essence and so it is sure to press ahead with the cooperation between China and Africa.

Thirdly, Sino-African economic cooperation is open with a win-win aim, not exclusive, Wu acknowledged,.

Sino-African cooperation facilitates the merging and integration of African into the tide of globalization. From this sense, the cooperation is beneficial not only for China and Africa, but for the world at large, for a booming, stable and developing Africa is also good for the global peace and development.

Africa's development and prosperity require the participation and cooperation of the entire world.

China, nevertheless, remains a developing country in spite of immense progress it has made in its reform and development for more than two decades, and greater global efforts are still needed to rid the African continent of its poverty, diseases and upheavals. At the time when Sino-African cooperation is developing in a penetrating way, people are pleased to witness that the U.S., Europe and Japan are also reordering or refocus their priorities to Africa. And a further growth of Sino-African ties will also enable China and Africa to increase their capabilities to expand their respective cooperation with other regions of the world.

By People's Daily Online; Wu Jianmin, the author of the article, is the current president of the Foreign Affairs University in Beijing.