FOCAC website, 2010/08/20

On August 18th, the Seminar on African Development and China-Africa Cooperation in Commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of African Independence organized by the Institute of West Asian and African Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), sponsored by the China-Africa Joint Research and Exchange Programme, was held in Beijing, attended by over 60 people including scholars from 11 African countries, diplomats from some African embassies in Beijing, and Chinese scholars. Lu Shaye, Secretary-General of the Chinese Follow-Up Committee of FOCAC and Director-General of the Department of African Affairs of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Ahmed Rezk M. Rezk, Ambassador of Egypt to China and FOCAC's Co-Chair, attended the opening ceremony of the seminar and gave speeches.

In his remarks, Director-General Lu spoke positively of the achievements scored by Africa over the past 50 years since independence, stressing that China respects African countries' rights to choose their own roads of development independently and that China-Africa cooperation is an important force driving Africa's development. He said that this year marks the 50th anniversary of Africa's independence, and also the 10th anniversary of the FOCAC establishment, which gives the seminar special significance. He pointed out that the strengthening of exchanges between China and Africa on governance and development can help the two sides to draw references from each another and seek common development. He hoped that the participants would contribute more with suggestions and proposals on Africa's development and China-Africa cooperation.