Political leaders and high-ranking officials from China and African countries meet in Beijing on Thursday to open the fifth Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation. This is a strong signal that the two are committed to deepening their strategic partnership and lifting bilateral interaction to a higher level.

Under the theme to "build on past achievements and open up new prospects for the new type of China-Africa strategic partnership", the event is expected to explore new ways to tap the potential of greater reciprocal and pragmatic cooperation.

China and African countries have forged a long tradition of friendship over the years, supporting each other's just causes in safeguarding national independence, territorial integrity and sovereignty, and pursuing social and economic development.

China has made great contributions to help enhance the lives of African people. It has constructed schools, water facilities and clean energy projects and contributed to the realization of the UN Millennium Development Goals in Africa.

It has increased its aid to Africa by more than 60 percent from 2009 to 2011. And in contrast to the assistance provided by Western countries, China never attaches any political strings to its aid.

All these initiatives are testimony to the friendship between the Chinese and African people.

China-African interaction has set a good example in South-South cooperation and won acclaim from the international community. The attendance of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon at the opening ceremony of the FOCAC ministerial meeting shows the world body's strong support for China-African cooperation.

Since its inauguration in 2000, the FOCAC has thrived to become an effective platform for strengthening dialogue and communication between China and African states and an important engine driving their practical cooperation.

In 2011, China-Africa trade reached a record high of $166.3 billion, and China remained Africa's largest trading partner for the third consecutive year.

We believe the two-day FOCAC meeting in Beijing will continue to build on this desirable momentum and produce substantial results to broaden bilateral cooperation in such fields as trade, education, science and technology, culture and people-to-people exchanges.

A prosperous relationship between China and Africa caters to the interests of the two sides and contributes to peace and development in the world at large.