On July 12, 2012, the seventh Lanting Forum with the theme of China-Africa Cooperation under the New Situation was held in the Foreign Ministry. About 280 delegates, including Vice Foreign Minister Zhai Jun, resident foreign diplomats, representatives of international organizations and the business community, experts and scholars as well as Chinese and foreign reporters attended the event. The forum was co-organized by the Public Diplomacy Office of the Foreign Ministry and China Institute of International Studies (CIIS) and presided over by Ambassador Liu Guijin, a special research fellow of the CIIS and former special representative of the Chinese government for African affairs.

Zhai delivered a keynote speech with the title of the Broad Prospects of China-Africa New Strategic Partnership. He reviewed the history of the forum, introduced the expected results of the forum's ministerial-level meeting this year and explained his views on the characteristics of current China-Africa relations and how to deepen the bilateral relations under the new situation. The Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) has become an important platform for collective dialogue and an effective mechanism for pragmatic cooperation between China and Africa with the joint efforts on both sides since it was established in October 2000. In particular, in the Beijing Summit held in 2006 China and Africa established the new strategic partnership featuring political equality and mutual trust, win-win economic cooperation and cultural exchanges and learning from each other and opened a new chapter of China-Africa friendly cooperation. The fifth ministerial-level meeting of FOCAC will be the first of its kind in the second decade of FOCAC history and have great significance for the future of China-Africa relations. The meeting intends to achieve the following four objectives: first, comprehensively assess the implementation of the follow-up activities of the fourth ministerial-level meeting; second, explore ways and means to deepen the China-Africa new strategic partnership and promote the development of FOCAC mechanism; third, determine the key areas and major initiatives of bilateral cooperation within the next three years and develop action plans; fourth, exchange views on major international and regional issues and better maintain and expand the common interests of both sides. The meeting will release two outcome documents and announce the new initiatives of the Chinese government to strengthen cooperation with Africa.

He pointed out that the development of China-Africa relations has the following characteristics: first, the comprehensive development of political relations; second, the fruitful pragmatic cooperation; third, the expanding cooperation in international and regional affairs and fourth, the increasingly close people-to-people contacts. The rapid development of China-Africa relations has drawn wide attention of the international community. More and more countries, especially African ones, give positive and objective comments on China-Africa relations. Zhai also responded to such hot issues as the "neo-colonial theory" involving China in Africa, the hindrance to democracy and good governance in Africa by China's principle of non-interference in other countries' internal affairs, China to assume more international responsibilities in Africa and whether China-Africa relations undermine other countries' interests in Africa. He urged to abandon the Cold War mentality, reject ideological bias and view China-Africa relations in an objective and fair position.

He said that the development of China-Africa relations today is the result of the continuous efforts of several generations of Chinese and African people. It is hard won and deserves to be cherished. At present, the international situation as well as China and Africa are undergoing profound and complicated changes, but friendly cooperation remains the eternal theme of China-Africa relations. The two sides should raise the awareness of seizing opportunities, conducting win-win cooperation, seeking comprehensive development and making explorations and innovation and work even harder to create a better future of China-Africa relations.

Zhai also answered questions of the guests and reporters.

Council Member of China Foundation for International Studies and Director of the Foundation's Center for African Studies Cheng Tao, Deputy Director of the CIIS Liu Youfa, Deputy Director of the West Asia and Africa Research Center of the Academy of Social Sciences Zhang Hongming and Director of the Africa Research Institute of Zhejiang Normal University Liu Hongwu made presentations separately on FOCAC, China-Africa political relations, economic cooperation, peace and security as well as cultural exchanges and interacted with the participants.