The forthcoming Beijing summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation would set guidelines for the strategic cooperation between Africa and China, Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade said on Friday.

In a written interview with Xinhua before leaving for Beijing for the two-day summit starting from Saturday, Wade said the Beijing summit would help coordinate positions between Africa and China.

On China's African Policy Paper, issued by the Chinese government in January with an aim to explore the prospects for Sino-African cooperation, Wade said the document showed the Chinese government's wishes to conduct long-term cooperation with Africa on the basis of equality, mutual respect and non-interference in each other's internal affairs.

The summit, which has brought together leaders of 48 African countries that have diplomatic relations with China, would also discuss the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), the president said.

NEPAD is a blueprint for the African continent's integration and all-round development, Wade said.

The summit will be the highest-level and the largest gathering between Chinese and African leaders since China and African countries started to forge cooperative ties in the 1950s.

Source: Xinhua