On May 6, 2009, Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Zhai Jun met in the Foreign Ministry with Ambassador Ibrahim Ali Hassan and Ambassador Mahmoud Ahmed Abdel El Gawad, Egyptian senior coordinators for Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) affairs. Zhai also gave a dinner in their honor.

Zhai said the 4th ministerial meeting of the FOCAC to be held in the fourth quarter of 2009 is another important meeting after the FOCAC Beijing Summit and will play a significant promoting role for the development of China-Africa relations in the new situation. Egypt and China, as host and co-host of the ministerial meeting respectively, shoulder great responsibility and have a lot of preparatory work to do. Zhai expressed hope that the two Egyptian senior coordinators will maintain close communication and contact with the Secretariat of the Chinese Follow-up Committee of the FOCAC to enhance coordination and cooperation and work together for the success of the ministerial meeting.

Hassan said since the FOCAC's establishment in 2000, China-Africa relations have witnessed rapid and substantial development. However, there is still huge potential for the development of China-Africa cooperation. Egypt, during its current chairmanship of FOCAC meetings, will work with China to play a positive role in this regard. He emphasized that Egyptian departments concerned will strengthen cooperation with the Secretariat of the Chinese Follow-up Committee of the FOCAC and make unremitting efforts for the success of the fourth ministerial meeting.