Hailing the wonderful organization of the summit, Eleih Etian, Cameroonian ambassador in Beijing, said that the preparatory meeting showed the great importance Africa and China attached to the summit.

    "The summit manifests the resolution and confidence that Africa and China have to build mutual-beneficial and energetic partnership," Etian said.

    The summit, also the 3rd Ministerial Conference of the FOCAC, will focus on the subjects of "friendship, peace, cooperation and development".

    Experts said the economic and trade issue, especially the cooperation in the investment sector, will be a major topic between Chinese and African leaders.

    China-Africa economic ties have grown rapidly in recent years. Statistics from the Ministry of Commerce show that the two-way trade volume has rocketed from 4 billion U.S. dollars in 1995 to some 40 billion U.S. dollars in 2005.

    Chinese direct investment in Africa has amounted to 1.18 billion U.S. dollars, with more than 800 Chinese enterprises on the continent.

    This year marks the 50th anniversary of the inauguration of diplomatic relationship between the People's Republic of China and African countries.

    China released its first African policy paper early this year, putting forward its proposals for all-round cooperation with Africa in various fields in the coming years.

    FOCAC is a mechanism for collective dialogue and cooperation jointly established by China and Africa to cope with new challenges and facilitate common development.

    Since the launch of the FOCAC in 2000, two ministerial conferences have been held in Beijing and Addis Ababa. Enditem