-- Cancel debt in the form of all the interest-free government loans that matured at the end of 2005 owed by the heavily indebted countries and the least developed countries in Africa that have diplomatic relations with China;

-- Further open up China's market to Africa by increasing from 190 to over 440 the number of export items to China receiving zero-tariff treatment from the least developed countries in Africa having diplomatic ties with China;

-- Establish three to five trade and economic cooperation zones in Africa;

-- Train 15,000 African professionals, send 100 senior agricultural experts to Africa, set up 10 special agricultural technology demonstration centers in Africa, build 30 hospitals in Africa and offer 300 million yuan in grants to provide artemisinin and build 30 malaria prevention and treatment centers to fight malaria in Africa, dispatch 300 youth volunteers to Africa, build 100 rural schools in Africa, and increase the number of Chinese government scholarships to African students from the current 2,000 to 4,000 per year.

These measures are the most comprehensive ever, because they highlight goals for China-Africa cooperation in trade, assistance, investment, agriculture, medical service and human resources. They indicate that China, the biggest developing country in the world, is concerned about the development of Africa also as a responsible big country.

After the November summit, the Chinese Government sent investigation teams to certain African countries to get the programs underway. During his visit, President Hu attended the inaugurations of some of these programs. The timely start of these projects reflects both the Chinese Government's resolve to realize its promises and the high efficiency of the relevant departments.

Hu also made an important speech to all the youth in Africa at a South African university. According to the statement of the Beijing summit, the two sides will make efforts to enhance social and cultural communication and cooperation by promoting ties among peoples, especially the young people, in whose hands the future of China-Africa relations lies.

Given their experience in supporting each other in the battle against hegemony and colonialism in the 1960s and 1970s and economic cooperation in the 1980s, relations between China and Africa have developed rapidly on multiple levels, including political, economic, cultural and educational, since the 1990s. In 2000, FOCAC was established as an institutional platform to strengthen multilateral communication and cooperation.

In January 2006, the Chinese Government issued a document on China's African policy, and in November the first China-Africa summit brought a common understanding on setting up a new strategic partnership. All of these factors have indicated the direction and created the biggest opportunity for the development of Sino-African relations on the policy and strategy levels.

Rapidly growing ties

Currently, Sino-Africa relations are developing rapidly, as bilateral trade, investment and communication are on the rise. China has been Africa's third-largest trade partner, following the United States and France. For China, Africa is a major strategic resource supplier, investment target and trade market.