by Zhang Lin, Luo Guofang, Muhammad Yamany SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt, Nov. 5 (Xinhua) -- The fourth ministerial meeting of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation ( FOCAC) will be held in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh on Nov. 8-9. The FOCAC, jointly proposed and established by China and more than 40 African countries in 2000, is a collective consultation and dialogue mechanism between China and African countries, as well as a major and future-oriented move in the context of South- South cooperation to seek common development in the new situation. The main agenda of the upcoming conference in Egypt is to review the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and the Program for China-Africa Cooperation in Economic and Social Development, two documents adopted during the first ministerial meeting of the forum in Beijing, explore new initiatives and measures on the way toward Sino-African cooperation in such areas of priority as human resources, agriculture, infrastructure, investment and trade. ACHIEVEMENTS SINCE BEIJING SUMMIT In 2006, the landmark Beijing Summit of the FOCAC was held in China at the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and the first African country. The summit called for the establishment of a 'new type of strategic partnership' between China and Africa. Since then, with the joint efforts of China and Africa, the consensus reached at the Summit are being actively implemented, yielding fruitful results in Chinese- African cooperation. China and Africa have witnessed closer cooperation in various fields, Zhang Ming, secretary-general of the Chinese Follow-Up Committee of FOCAC and director-general of the Department of African Affairs in Chinese Foreign Ministry, told Xinhua in an exclusive interview. Progress has been made in carrying out eight measures to push forward Chinese- African cooperation announced by Chinese President Hu Jintao at the Beijing Summit of the FOCAC, said Zhang. The eight measures included China's pledge to double its assistance to Africa by 2009, provide 3 billion U.S. dollars of preferential loans and 2 billion dollars of preferential buyer's credits, as well as establish a development fund of 5 billion dollars to encourage Chinese firms to invest in Africa. Debt cancellation was another major measure. In terms of China's assistance to Africa, more than 90 percent of the plan had been implemented by the end of September 2009, with a prospect of doubling its assistance to Africa by the end of the year, according to the statistics released by the Chinese Ministry of Commerce. China has so far cancelled debts for 33 heavily-indebted poor countries and least developed countries and extended zero-tariff treatment to commodities from dozens of the least developed countries. China pledged in 2006 to endeavor to bring bilateral trade to 100 billion dollars by 2010. However, despite the global financial crisis, the bilateral trade jumped to 108 million dollars last year, almost doubling the figure in 2006. Nearly half of the African countries expanded their exports to China by more than 50 percent. By the end of 2008, China had invested in 49 African countries and regions with a total amount of 26 billion dollars of various kinds, among which direct investment was 7.8 billion dollars. Meanwhile, China-Africa Development Fund is in operation, debt- relief is half way through, zero-tariff measures have been implemented, work on the African Union Center has started. By the end of September 2009, China had trained 13,307 African people, estimated to reach 15,000 by the end of the year. Many Chinese agriculture experts and young volunteers went to Africa to offer hands. Centers for malaria control and prevention, advanced agricultural technique centers and rural schools are under construction in Africa with the help of China. Cooperation in culture, sports, finance, science and technology, civil aviation and tourism has boosted the development of the new type of China-Africa strategic partnership. 'China-Africa forum is established due to the wise Chinese policy which based on consultation and cooperation with different groups around the world,' Mohamed Abdelwahab el-Saket, former ambassador of the Cairo-based Arab League to China, told Xinhua. 'This forum is crowning the Chinese-African relationships as China has provided the African countries with assistance and loans to support their economic development,' he said. 'China is helping the continent to invest its resources in a way which guarantees more economic development,' he added. GREAT IMPORTANCE TO SINO-AFRICAN RELATIONS 'The upcoming fourth ministerial meeting of the FOCAC will lay out the blueprint of China-Africa cooperation for the coming three years,' said ambassador Ibrahim Ali Hassan, secretary general of the fourth ministerial meeting of the FOCAC. He said he believed the meeting will open a new chapter for Chinese-African friendship. According to Hassan, the theme of the meeting is to further the new type of China-Africa strategic partnership and seek sustainable development, especially the collaboration between the two sides during the global financial crisis. Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and some African heads of state or government are expected to attend the opening ceremony of the FOCAC fourth ministerial meeting. Participants will review how the consensus of the Beijing Summit had been implemented, added Hassan. This summit will also adopt a Sharm el-Sheikh Declaration and an action plan to chart the path for further China-Africa cooperation from 2010 to 2012. The meeting of senior officials is to start on Nov. 6, and the third meeting of Chinese-African entrepreneurs will be held on Nov. 7. Zaeid el-Sabban, consultant of Arab League chief for Africa's affairs said, 'China-Africa Forum comes at an important time as it will concentrate on the economic issues, especially the development and investment ones.' 'The Chinese development presence in Africa is more advanced, but we want China to establish more strong economic connections with Africa,' he said. In a press briefing, Chinese Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs Zhai Jun said the global economic crisis is spreading, hence, under such circumstances, this summit will be significant for further China-Africa cooperation. 'China will, as always, provide assistance to African countries to the best of its capability, and help African countries to achieve economic and social development,' said Chinese Foreign Minster Yang Jiechi. Yang said in an interview with Xinhua that the meeting is another important occasion to bolster China-Africa friendship and cooperation since the Beijing Summit, and it is of great importance to China-Africa relations in the new age. 