Editor's note: State Councillor Tang Jiaxuan gave an exclusive interview to the Xinhua News Agency on Sino-African relations. The full text follows:

Q: This year marks the 50th anniversary of the inauguration of diplomatic relations between New China and African countries. How do you view the growth of China's relations with Africa?

A: Despite the long distance between China and Africa, their friendly exchanges have a long history. The founding of New China in 1949 ushered in a new era in China-Africa relations. In May 1956, diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level were established between China and the Arab Republic of Egypt, inaugurating China's diplomatic relations with African countries and marking a new stage of China-Africa relations. Since then, many African countries have established diplomatic relations with China as they gained independence. China now has diplomatic ties with 48 African countries.

Over the past 50 years, the Chinese and African peoples have shared weal and woe, sympathized with and supported each other. China stood firmly with the African people and provided them with moral support and material assistance in their strenuous struggle to overthrow colonial rule and gain national liberation. Since African countries won independence, China has continued to support them in upholding sovereignty, safeguarding independence and promoting economic development. By doing so, China has contributed to Africa's political stability and socio-economic development.

African countries have also offered valuable support to China. Our African friends played an important role in restoring the lawful seat of the People's Republic of China in the United Nations. They gave China strong support in foiling anti-China motions introduced by some Western countries at the UN Human Rights Commission. The vast majority of African countries adhere to the one-China principle and support China's reunification. They have helped China defeat many attempts by Taiwan to "participate in the United Nations" and squeeze its way into the World Health Organization and other international bodies. They also supported China in its bid to host the 2008 Olympics and the 2010 World Expo.

In recent years, thanks to the joint efforts of the two sides, China-Africa relations have, building on traditional friendship, made new progress, which finds expression in enhanced political relations and closer co-operation in economy, trade, culture, education, and other fields. As this year is of special commemorative significance for the two sides, the Chinese and African leaders have agreed to work together to lift China-Africa relations to a new level. To this end, the Chinese Government issued early this year China's African Policy, calling for a new type of strategic partnership between China and Africa. This has received a warm response from the African countries. In April and June this year, President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao visited Africa respectively. On 3-5 November, the two sides will hold the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Co-operation and its third Ministerial Conference. Several dozen African leaders will meet in Beijing for the Summit and exchange views with Chinese leaders on enhancing future co-operation.

I wish to point out in particular that, despite the profound changes both in the international environment and in China and Africa in the past half century, China-Africa friendship has stood the test of time, gained in strength and is thriving with vigour and vitality. The fundamental reason behind this is that the two sides have always treated each other with sincerity and as equals, and pursued mutual benefit, solidarity, co-operation and common development. This is the valuable asset 50 years of China-Africa friendly relations have left us and it will continue to drive the strong and long-term growth of China-Africa relations.

Q: You mentioned China's African Policy issued by the Chinese Government. What is the basic thrust of China's policy towards Africa?

A: China's African Policy is the first policy paper on a continent issued by the Chinese Government. It shows our resolve to enhance China-Africa solidarity and co-operation in the new international environment. The thrust of the paper is the fostering of a new type of China-Africa strategic partnership featuring political equality and mutual trust, economic win-win co-operation and cultural exchanges and enrichment. Specifically, it has three essential elements:

Politically, China and Africa should be strategic partners that trust and support each other. The two sides should maintain high-level exchanges and dialogue and enhance people-to-people exchanges in diversified forms to boost popular support for China-Africa friendship. They should be guided by the principle of treating each other as equals and of mutual non-interference in internal affairs, and respect each other's independent choice of road of development. In international affairs, the two sides should strengthen co-ordination and co-operation to jointly promote democracy in international relations and uphold the lawful rights and interests of developing countries.

Economically, China and Africa should be partners in co-operation and should draw on each other's strength to work for mutual benefit. They should work together to enhance South-South co-operation and North-South dialogue and work for economic globalization to develop in a way that brings balanced, general and win-win benefits to all. They should promote economic co-operation in diversified forms to increase trade volume and improve trade structure. The Chinese Government will implement in good faith the five measures to help other developing countries accelerate their development announced by President Hu Jintao at the High-level Meeting on Financing for Development during last year's UN World Summit. China will continue to encourage and assist Chinese companies to invest in Africa. And we also warmly welcome African companies doing business in China.

Culturally, China and Africa should be partners in advancing human civilization and building a harmonious world. We should exchange experience on governance and respect cultural diversity. And we should promote tolerance, dialogue and equality among different civilizations so that they will draw on each other's strength and enjoy common prosperity. China and Africa should learn from each other through enhanced cultural exchanges.

Q: What is on the agenda of the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Co-operation? What new measures will China announce at the Summit to grow its relations with Africa? And what is the significance of this Summit to the growth of China-Africa relations?

A: The Forum on China-Africa Co-operation (FOCAC) was founded by China and Africa in 2000. It has become an effective mechanism and important platform for enhancing China-Africa collective dialogue and co-operation in practical terms in the new era. The theme of this Summit is "Friendship, Peace, Co-operation and Development." During the Summit, the Chinese and African leaders will review the friendship and co-operation of the past 50 years between the two sides and the progress achieved since FOCAC's establishment six years ago. They will also reaffirm the forging of a new-type of strategic partnership between China and Africa, map out the future for sustaining bilateral co-operation and exchange views on major regional and international issues.

A key focus of the Summit is to upgrade the mutually beneficial co-operation between China and Africa and inject new vigour into their friendship. During the Summit, China will announce important proposals and initiatives on strengthening its relations with Africa, as well as specific measures to help African countries speed up their development. They are also designed to implement the five measures announced by China to assist other developing countries.

I am convinced that the successful convocation of the Summit will enhance the friendship between the Chinese and African leaders, and promote the comprehensive growth of China-Africa friendship and co-operation in greater depth and width and lift them to a higher level. It will enhance the solidarity of developing countries and South-South co-operation and contribute to the glorious cause of global peace and development. The Summit will highlight the in-depth growth of and progress towards maturity in China-Africa relations and become a new landmark in the annals of China-Africa friendship.

Q: Some people are fanning up the "China threat" in Africa. There are also people in Africa who fear that Chinese commodities would float the African market and cause unemployment. What is your view on this issue? What benefits will China's development bring to Africa?

A: China and African countries are all-weather friends, partners of sincere co-operation and good brothers. China wishes Africa well. It is committed to helping Africa and hopes to see Africa grow and become stronger. The economic co-operation and trade between China and Africa are mutually beneficial. China's development has created more development opportunities for Africa. The allegations you referred to are unfounded as far as history is concerned, and they distort the current relations between China and Africa.

First, China's development has created a growing export market for Africa. In recent years, China's foreign trade has increased rapidly, and so have its imports from Africa. In 2005, China-Africa trade volume reached US$39.8 billion. It included US$21.1 billion in imports from Africa, which exceeded China's exports to Africa.

Second, China's development has created more job opportunities for Africa. The Chinese Government encourages established and reputable Chinese companies to make investment in diversified forms in Africa. According to preliminary statistics, China's total investment in Africa has reached US$6.27 billion. China has launched over 800 non-financial investment projects in 49 African countries, covering trade, manufacturing and processing, resource development, communications and agriculture. China will develop new forms of co-operation, expand the scale of investment, upgrade co-operation and provide quality service to promote common development of both China and Africa.

Third, China has endeavored to provide sincere assistance to Africa. Up to now, over 720 major projects have been completed in 49 African countries with Chinese assistance, and 58 projects have been launched in 26 African countries with preferential loans from China. China has exempted 10.9 billion yuan (US$1.34 billion) in debts of 31 heavily indebted poor countries and least developed countries in Africa, and extends zero-tariff treatment to some imports from 28 least developed countries in Africa. China has also trained over 14,600 African personnel in various fields.

It is hardly avoidable that some problems may occur in the process of continuous expansion of China-Africa co-operation. These problems are limited in nature and can be resolved through co-operation and consultation in accordance with the principles of equality and mutual accommodation. China appreciates the concern of some African countries on the trade deficit and textiles and is taking measures and working with the African countries concerned to resolve them.

I also wish to point out that China-Africa co-operation is transparent, open and inclusive by nature. It will not affect the co-operation of China or African countries with a third party, nor will it hurt the interests of any third party. Quite on the contrary, strengthened China-Africa co-operation and common development will only bring good opportunities for the rest of the world.

Q: What does future hold for China-Africa relations?

A: The traditional China-Africa friendship is of great value to both sides. China is the biggest developing country and Africa has the largest number of developing countries. In the new era, the common interests between the two sides are increasing rather than decreasing, and the potential for co-operation is expanding rather than diminishing. Boosting China-Africa friendship and all-round co-operation is a long-term and strategic decision China has made, and it is a natural choice for the two sides in pursuit of common development and prosperity. Strengthened consultation and closer co-operation between the two sides will uphold the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries and advance democracy in international relations. I am convinced that, with the concerted efforts of China and Africa, we will surely make a greater contribution to the building of a harmonious world of enduring peace and common prosperity.

(China Daily 10/24/2006 page4)