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.