Introduction

1. ESTABLISHMENT: From May 22 to 26, 1963, thirty-one independent African States held the Summit Conference of Independent African States in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The Conference passed < the Charter of the Organization of African Unity> on May 25, formally establishing the OAU, with its Headquarters and General Secretariat in Addis Ababa. It has now 53 member states.

2. PURPOSES: To promote the unity and solidarity of the African States. To intensify their cooperation in politics, foreign affairs, economics, culture military affairs and security. To defend their sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence. To eradicate all forms of colonialism from Africa. To promote international cooperation.

3. PRINCIPLES GUIDING RELATIONS BETWEEN MEMBER STATES AND WITH OTHER COUNTRIES: The sovereign equality of all Member States; non-interference in the internal affairs of states; respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of each state; peaceful settlement of disputes by negotiation, mediation or arbitration; total emancipation of the African territories; and non-alignment with regard to all blocs.

4. INSTITUTIONS: (a) The Assembly (Summit meeting) of Heads of State and Government is the supreme organ of the OAU, which meets, annually in ordinary session. The Chairman of the OAU 36th Summit meeting is President Gnassingbe Eyadema of Togo. (b) The Council of Ministers, which consists of Ministers of Foreign/External Affairs or other Ministers from member states, holds two sessions a year. (c) The General Secretariat is the permanent institution of the Organization, with a Secretary General and five Assistant Secretaries General. The Secretary General is appointed by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government for a four-year term. The current Secretary General is Mr. Salim Ahmed Salim who was elected in 1989 and reelected in 1993 and 1997.

5. MAIN ACTIVITIES: Up to January 2001, the OAU has convened 36 ordinary sessions of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government and 4 extraordinary sessions of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government. All previous OAU Summits mainly discussed such issues as de-colonization, support for the liberation struggle of Southern Africa, opposition to foreign intervention in Africa, mediation of domestic conflicts and inter-state disputes and promotion of African economic development They had passed a series of resolutions concerning the above issues.
In 1991, the 27th Ordinary Session of OAU Summit passed the Treaty on Establishing the African Economic Community in Abuja (to be called for short: ).
The 29th Ordinary Session of the OAU Summit in 1993 decided to establish, within the framework of OAU, a Mechanism for Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution (MCPMR). Since the birth of the New South Africa, the OAU has been refocusing its focal point of the work from political issues to economic development.
In 1997, the AEC Assembly of Heads of States and Government held its inaugural session at the time of the 33rd Ordinary Session of the OAU Summit, which signified the actual start of the AEC.
The 35th Ordinary Session of the OAU Summit in July, 1999 passed the Algiers Declaration, which reaffirmed the basic principles of the OAU Charter, such as sovereign independence, non-interference in the internal affairs of States and peaceful settlement of disputes. The Declaration also emphasized the importance of strengthening the role of the UN Security Council, opposed the unilateral use of force outside the duly conferred mandate of the UN, and reiterated the demand for an African permanent member in the Security Council.
Two months later, the 4th OAU Extraordinary Summit passed the Sirte Declaration, and decided to establish an African Union and demand for the speedy establishment of institutions such as the Pan-African Parliament, African Central Bank, African Monetary Union and African Court of Justice.
In 2000, the 36th Ordinary Session of the OAU Summit adopted the Charter of the African Union and decided to convene the 5th OAU Extraordinary Summit in March of 2001, so as to announce the official establishment of the African Union which would replace the OAU after one year of transitional period.

China-OAU Relations

The People's Republic of China has always maintained friendly cooperation with the Organization of African Unity. Since the establishment of the OAU, the Chinese Government, in the name of its Premier, sent messages of congratulation to all previous OAU Summits with the exception of the period from 1966 to 1969.

Other initiatives from the Chinese Side include:

In January 1991, State Councilor and Minister of Foreign Affairs Qian Qichen met with Secretary General Salim Ahmed Salim in Addis Ababa.

In July 1993, Vice Premier and Minister of Foreign Affairs Qian Qichen send a message of congratulation to Mr. Salim Ahmed Salim for his reelection as the Secretary General of OAU.

In September 1995, Vice Premier and Minister of Foreign Affairs Qian Qichen met with Secretary General Salim Ahmed Salim, who came to Beijing for the 4th World Conference on Women.

In May 1996, in his speech at the OAU Headquarter during his visit to Africa, President Jiang Zemin put forward the Five-Point Proposal on developing a long-term and stable relationship of all-round cooperation between China and Africa for the 21st century. The main ideas of the proposal are sincere friendship, treatment of each other on an equal footing, solidarity and cooperation, common development and a future-oriented relationship.

In June 1997, Vice Premier and Minister of Foreign Affairs Qian Qichen sent a message of congratulation to Mr. Salim Ahmed Salim for his reelection as the Secretary General of OAU.

In June 1998, a government representative from China attended the 34th OAU Summit as Invited Guest for the first time.

In July 1999, the Chinese Government again sent a delegation to attend the 35th OAU Summit.

In September 1999, President Jiang Zemin sent telegrams respectively to the OAU Chairman, His Excellency Mr. Abdelaziz Bouteflika, President of the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria and His Excellency Colonel Muammar Al-Qathafi, Leader of the Great Fateh Revolution of the Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, on the convening of the 4th Extraordinary Session of OAU Summit.

In July 2000, the Chinese government delegation attended the 36th OAU Summit.

OAU Visits to China include:

In 1974, OAU delegation led by Somali Foreign Minister Omar Galeb;

In 1981, OAU delegation led by an Assistant Secretary General Peter Onu;

In 1984, OAU delegation led by Angolan Deputy Foreign Minister;

In October 1990, visit by OAU Secretary General, Mr. Salim Ahmed Salim.

In January 1999, visit by OAU Assistant Secretary General, Mr. Ahmed Haggag, while attending the Grand Exhibition of African Arts in Beijing.

In October 2000, OAU Secretary General Mr. Salim Ahmed Salim came to China to attend the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Beijing 2000/Ministerial Conference.

China has donated financial and material assistance to the OAU.

The Chinese Government always attaches great importance to consultation and cooperation with the OAU, and appreciates its contribution to African countries' successful struggle for national independence, to the promotion of peace and stability on the continent as well as regional development of economy. China expresses her support to the African countries for their efforts in establishing the African Union and in making concerted efforts to meet the challenges of globalization. Under the new situation, the Chinese Government is willing to continue its cooperation with the OAU, with a view to bringing a vigorous China-African friendly and cooperative relationship of long-term stability into the 21st century.