When meeting with visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi in the headquarters of the African Union (AU) on January 10, 2008, Alpha Konare, chairperson of the AU Commission, said that the cooperation between Africa and China is sincere and friendly and the African people believe China will continue to resolutely stand with their continent in the peace and development process of Africa.

Konare noted that Africa and China share profound traditional friendship. Both sides respect each other, treat each other as equals and extend support to each other. China was a firm supporter for the fight of the African people for national independence and liberation. Under new circumstances China appeals to the international community to pay attention to the justice proposition and justified demand and be committed to helping Africa eradicate poverty, realize sustainable development and supports and has participated in the peacekeeping operation of the United Nations in Africa.

The African countries generally follow the one-China principle, oppose "Taiwan independence" and support China's reunification undertaking, stressed Konare. He said that the AU convention center built with assistance of China would become another symbol of Africa-China friendship.

Yang said that he felt keenly the strong aspiration of the African countries of seeking peace and development and the deep feeling of the African people with the Chinese people during the visit. China always attaches importance to Africa. It remains a major component of China's diplomacy to consolidate and strengthen the solidarity and cooperation with Africa and China firmly supports Africa's efforts of building lasting peace and realizing sustainable development. During the visit he reached new consensus with related countries on reinforcing the traditional friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation and comprehensively implementing the outcome of the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation. China expects to join hands with the African countries to push forward the new type of strategic partnership and maintain the friendship, brotherhood and partnership forever between the two sides.

He added that China welcomes the positive progress of the "mixed action" of the UN and the AU in Darfur, Sudan. The international community should continue to take the "three-party mechanism of consultations" of the AU, the UN and the Sudanese government as the major channel and push ahead the political process and the peacekeeping operation in parallel. China is willing to continue to play a constructive role to properly handle the Darfur issue.

Konare expressed admiration for China's dispatch of peacekeeping army engineers to the Darfur region and noted the AU appreciates China's positive and important role in solving the Darfur issue and would like to keep cooperation with China on Darfur.

During the meeting, both sides agreed to enhance the dialogue and cooperation between the AU and China in international and regional affairs. Konare and Yang jointly signed the economic and technological cooperation agreement following the meeting.

Yang and his delegation arrived at Addis Ababa, capital of Ethiopia on January 10, 2008. Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi met with Yang on the same day. Earlier Yang visited South Africa, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Burundi.