On the morning of December 4 local time, the Johannesburg Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), co-hosted by China and South Africa, opened in South Africa. President Xi Jinping, 50 heads of state and governments as well as delegation heads of African nations including President Jacob Zuma of South Africa and Robert Mugabe, rotating Chairman of the African Union (AU) and President of Zimbabwe, and Chairperson of the AU Commission Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma attended the opening ceremony. Xi Jinping delivered a speech, comprehensively expounding China's policy to develop relations with Africa, announcing the important measures China will take in the coming period, and proposing to upgrade China-Africa relations to comprehensive strategic and cooperative partnership, so as to embrace a new era of win-win cooperation and common development together.

Xi Jinping stressed that China and Africa share a common future and have always supported each other in trying times. What has made China-Africa friendship durable and vigorous is that the two sides have always been guided by the principle of treating each other as equals, promoting win-win progress and common development and enhancing sincere friendship and cooperation.

Xi Jinping pointed out that China and Africa both shoulder the mission of developing our respective countries and improving the livelihood of our peoples, and face a rare historic opportunity in pursuing development through cooperation. We should translate the strengths of our traditional friendship into driving forces to boost solidarity, cooperation and development, so that we will deliver more tangible benefits to our peoples and make greater contribution to the development of the world in a more balanced, just and inclusive manner and to the building of a new model of international partnership based on win-win cooperation.

Xi Jinping emphasized that in conducting China's relations with Africa, we adhere to the principles of sincerity, practical results, affinity and good faith and uphold the values of friendship, justice and shared interests, and we will work with our African friends to embrace a new era of win-win cooperation and common development. With this in mind, I propose that the new type of China-Africa strategic partnership be upgraded to a comprehensive strategic and cooperative partnership. To forge this partnership, we should strengthen the "five major pillars".

First, we should remain committed to political equality and mutual trust. We should respect each other's choice of development path, and show mutual understanding and support to each other on issues involving core interests and major concerns of each side. China strongly believes that Africa belongs to the African people and that African affairs should be decided by the African people.

Second, we should remain committed to promoting win-win economic cooperation. We should fully leverage the strengths of political mutual trust and economic complementarities between China and Africa, and focus on industrial capacity cooperation as well as the three networks and industrialization. By doing so, we can deepen China-Africa cooperation in all areas and bring its benefits to our peoples.

Third, we should remain committed to mutually enriching cultural exchanges. We should facilitate more exchanges between the youths, women, think tanks, media, universities and other sectors of the two sides, promote cultural interactions, policy coordination and people-to-people exchanges and ensure the sustained growth of China-Africa friendship from generation to generation.

Fourth, we should remain committed to mutual assistance in security. China supports the settlement of African issues by Africans in the African way, stands ready to take an active part in Africa's efforts in capacity-building for maintaining and strengthening peace and security and supports Africa in its endeavors to speed up development, eradicate poverty and realize durable peace.

Fifth, we should remain committed to solidarity and coordination in international affairs. We should make the global governance system more just and equitable and uphold our common interests. China will support Africa in playing a greater role on the world stage.

Xi Jinping noted that to build China-Africa comprehensive strategic and cooperative partnership, China will implement ten cooperation plans with Africa in the next three years, namely China-Africa industrialization plan, agricultural modernization plan, infrastructure plan, financial plan, green development plan, trade and investment facilitation plan, poverty reduction plan, public health plan, cultural and people-to-people plan and peace and security plan, in an effort to accelerate Africa's industrialization and agricultural modernization, and achieve sustainable self-development.

Xi Jinping pointed out that the past 15 years since the establishment of the FOCAC have seen fruitful progress in China-Africa practical cooperation across the board. China-Africa relations have today reached a stage of growth unmatched in history. We should scale the heights, look afar and take bold steps. Let us join hands, pool the vision and strength of the 2.4 billion Chinese and Africans and open a new era of China-Africa win-win cooperation and common development.

President Jacob Zuma, President Robert Mugabe and Chairperson of the AU Commission Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma delivered a speech respectively. They spoke highly of Africa-China traditional friendship and cooperation results, the important measures taken by Xi Jinping in deepening Africa-China relations and warmly welcomed the measures announced by China in promoting Africa-China cooperation. They expressed their support in upgrading Africa-China relations to comprehensive strategic and cooperative partnership and their willingness to join efforts with China to open up a brighter future of Africa-China relationship.

Following the opening ceremony, Xi Jinping took a group photo with the leaders or representatives of countries and regional organizations attending the ceremony.

On the morning of that day, Xi Jinping attended the opening ceremony of the photo exhibition on the achievements of the FOCAC since its establishment 15 years ago, and cut the ribbon together with President Jacob Zuma and President Robert Mugabe. The photos exhibited in the hall reveal vividly the remarkable achievements from the FOCAC and record the historic moments in China-Africa friendly exchanges. Xi Jinping and leaders of African countries and regional organizations watched the photos attentively and had warm talks.

Wang Huning, Li Zhanshu, Yang Jiechi and others were present at above events.