On June 18, 2007, Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, at invitation, attended the dinner hosted by the African Diplomatic Missions in China in Beijing. 39 African diplomats to China including head of the African diplomatic corps in China and Ambassador of Cameroon to China H. E. Mr. Eleih - Elle Etian as well as Assistant Foreign Minister Zhai Jun were present at the dinner.

In his speech Yang reviewed the recent major headways of China-Africa relations and introduced the implementation of the results of the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). Within less than half a year, President Hu Jintao and other Chinese leaders visited Africa successively, sending the achievements of the Beijing Summit to the African people, which fully demonstrates the firm determination of the Chinese side to push forward the new type of strategic partnership with Africa and implement the follow-up activities of the Beijing Summit, said Yang.

He added that to keep consolidating and strengthening China-Africa solidarity and cooperation is a major component of China's independent foreign policy of peace and a logical choice of China to insist to the road of peaceful development and build a harmonious world. China's purpose of developing relations with Africa is not to seek self-interest but to realize common progress and development on the basis of sincere friendship, equality and mutual benefit. China will be committed to building the friendly and cooperative relations with African countries and always be a good friend, good partner and good brother of the African people.

Mr. Etian in his speech extended congratulations to Yang Jiechi on his new position as the Chinese Foreign Minister. He said that the FOCAC Beijing Summit set up the new type of strategic partnership between China and Africa. Such a relationship is beneficial to expanding and deepening the sincere and friendly cooperation between the two sides. No matter how the international situation fluctuates the China-Africa friendly cooperative relations based on mutual trust and the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence will remain unchanged. The African Diplomatic Missions in China will cooperate closely with China to make unremitting efforts to implement the follow-up activities of the FOCAC and consolidate the bilateral friendly cooperative relations.