Abstract

Abstract：China is the largest developing country in the world，while Africa is the continent with the largest number of developing countries. China and Africa have always been a community of shared future. In history，China and Africa have always sympathized and supported with each other and forged a profound traditional friendship. Since the founding of the People's Republic of China，especially since the beginning of the 21st century，the smooth development of China-Africa relations is firstly due to the common historical experience，common development tasks and common strategic interests. The second is China has adjusted its policy towards Africa in a timely manner to make China-Africa relations more mature and pragmatic.

Since the end of the Cold War，in the face of the new international situation and their respective development tasks，China and Africa have a strong desire to further strengthen consultation and cooperation and jointly meet the challenges of the new century. Therefore，the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation（FOCAC）was born in 2000. The FOCAC has successfully held seven ministerial meetings and three summits，providing a platform for practical cooperation between China and Africa and making China-Africa cooperation more institutionalized and regular. Thanks to the FOCAC，China-Africa relations have entered an optimal period of rapid and all-round development. The areas of cooperation between China and Africa have been constantly expanded，and cooperation in all fields has reached an unprecedented new height in history.

The FOCAC has created a win-win situation of common development between China and African countries. The FOCAC has improved China's policy system towards Africa and lifted China-Africa relations to a new level，from the “new partnership” in 2000 to the “China-Africa Community with a Shared Future”. Thanks to the FOCAC，China-Africa cooperation in politics，economy，culture，security and international affairs has been strengthened，injecting strong impetus into Africa's economic development，peace and stability and the “African Renaissance”. The FOCAC has led international cooperation with Africa. Under the influence of the FOCAC，traditional major countries and emerging countries have resumed or started summit diplomacy with Africa，which has enhanced Africa's international status.

The FOCAC has gone through 20 years of development. The following six lessons have contributed to its great success. First，Chinese and African leaders have attached great importance to the FOCAC and optimized its top-level design. Second，the cooperation projects of the FOCAC meet the needs of Africa's economic transformation and help Africa promote industrialization，economic diversification and infrastructure development. Third，cooperation in the FOCAC has benefited both sides. China has become a new factor in Africa's economic growth，and China has realized its own interests in China-Africa cooperation. Fourth，the FOCAC will keep pace with the Times，constantly adjust and enrich the content of cooperation according to the needs of both sides，and expand and deepen the areas of cooperation. Fifth，under the guarantee of the FOCAC mechanism，all measures have been effectively implemented，and we have truly fulfilled the principle of “every word must be followed by action”. Sixth，South-South cooperation seeks common development for developing countries. The above experience is also a concrete embodiment of the China-Africa cooperation model.

The world today is undergoing profound changes unseen in a century. Global issues are prominent and China and Africa are increasingly dependent on each other. This has created new historical opportunities and greater space for the development of the FOCAC. At the same time，we must recognize that the development of the FOCAC also faces many internal and external challenges. We believe that as long as we continue to adhere to the model of China-Africa cooperation under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and plan for the next 20 years of the FOCAC with a more open attitude，China-Africa cooperation will surely achieve greater results and China and Africa will make greater contribution to the world.

Key Words：China-Africa Relations；Forum on China-Africa Cooperation；China-Africa Community with a Shared Future；New Era；Sustainable Development