FARMING EXPERTISE: Togolese President Faure Gnassingbe (second right in front row) visits an agricultural technology demonstration center built with Chinese assistance near Lome on April 25, the day the center opened (XINHUA)

Shortly before the Fifth Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), to be held in Beijing on July 19-20, Beijing Review interviewed Lu Shaye, Director General of the Department of African Affairs of the Foreign Ministry of China, and Nolana Ta-Ama, Ambassador of Togo to Beijing and head of the diplomatic corps of African states in China. The two discussed the goals of FOCAC and the future of Sino-African relations. Edited excerpts follow:

Beijing Review: What topics will this year's Fifth Ministerial Conference of FOCAC focus on?

Lu Shaye: The Fifth Ministerial Conference is the first conference to be held in the second decade since the founding of FOCAC in 2000. This conference is of great significance in terms of further strengthening China-Africa unity and cooperation, and promoting and guiding the future development of Sino-African relations.

At this conference, participants will review the development of Sino-African relations over the past 12 years of FOCAC since its inception, evaluate consequential activities of the past three years following the Fourth FOCAC Ministerial Conference in 2009, and discuss plans for cooperation in the next three years.

FOCAC stresses both political and economic sectors through government and people-to-people channels. Thus, the conference will also feature side meetings: The China Council for the Promotion of International Trade and the China NGO Network for International Exchanges will hold the Fourth Conference of Chinese and African Entrepreneurs and the Second China-Africa People's Forum in Beijing and Suzhou (Jiangsu Province), respectively, in mid-July.

What sectors will FOCAC focus on in the next three years?

After reviewing FOCAC's past development, we can say that FOCAC is the engine driving the development of Sino-African relations in all facets. Following the excellent traditions of the previous FOCAC ministerial conferences and the Beijing summit, we will not only plan and strengthen exchanges in areas such as politics, the economy, development and culture, but we will also focus on important areas with our unique characteristics.

While continuing efforts to promote pragmatic cooperation in economic and trade sectors, greater attention will be given to the political and cultural exchanges between our two sides. Therefore, at this year's conference, China will actively consider putting forward new measures for cooperation in important areas such as development, investment and financing, Africa integration, security and people-to-people contact.

Since FOCAC's establishment 12 years ago, China-Africa relations have greatly developed. What has FOCAC done to restructure itself accordingly?

Following its establishment in 2000, FOCAC has developed into an important platform for promoting Sino-African relations, as well as a strong brand of Africa-related international cooperation. During this process, FOCAC has become increasingly mature.

First, the FOCAC mechanism has become more effective. It has enabled many opportunities for Sino-African dialogues at various levels. These include ministerial conferences and political consultations between the foreign ministers of China and African countries at the UN General Assembly. Last year, the African Union was officially admitted into FOCAC, making way for greater African representation.

Next, we provided a wide diversity of talking points. FOCAC now holds the Conference of Chinese and African Entrepreneurs and sub-forums in areas such as agriculture, culture, think tanks, NGOs and finance.

Finally, FOCAC has taken long-term measures to increase its influence. Chinese President Hu Jintao announced eight measures for practical Sino-African cooperation at the FOCAC Beijing Summit in 2006, and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao put forward eight new measures at the Fourth FOCAC Ministerial Conference in Egypt in 2009. These measures aim to promote win-win development and lift the levels of pragmatic China-Africa cooperation.

Would you talk about the measures proposed by Premier Wen in 2009? Have all the measures been implemented?

In the past three years, China has diligently kept its commitments to Africa despite challenges from the global financial crisis. Thanks to joint efforts from both China and countries in Africa, the eight new measures put forward by Premier Wen have been put into practice. The China-Africa Science and Technology Partnership Program and another partnership program established to cope with climate change are progressing smoothly. Debt exemption, tariff cuts, preferential loans and special loans for the development of African small and medium-sized enterprises are being implemented. Training programs for Africans in areas such as science and technology, agriculture, education and health have been fully carried out.

At the coming Fifth FOCAC Ministerial Conference, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi and Minister of Commerce Chen Deming will discuss in detail the follow-up activities of the Fourth FOCAC Ministerial Conference, including the implementation of these eight measures.