China and Africa will strengthen cooperation in politics, economy, international affairs and social development, says the action plan adopted at the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).

The document endorsed by leaders of China and 48 African nations attending the unprecedented high-profile diplomatic gathering in China-Africa history charted a roadmap of cooperation for the 2007-2009 period.

The two sides agreed to continue the momentum of high-level visit and dialogue to enhance traditional friendship and mutual trust, promote exchange of views and close coordination on bilateral relations and major international and regional issues, and share experience on governance to pursue common development and progress.

China and Africa "condemn and oppose terrorism in whatever form," and will "explore ways of counter-terrorism cooperation," says the action plan, vowing strengthened cooperation.

It says China and Africa "are opposed to double standard" while recognizing the leading role of the United Nations and UN Security Council in the international campaign to check terrorism.

They agreed to set up a mechanism of regular political dialogue between foreign ministers of the two sides within the FOCAC framework, deciding that the following year of every FOCAC Ministerial Conference, foreign ministers from the two sides will hold political consultation in New York on the sideline of the UN General Assembly to exchange views on major issues of common interest.

The action plan calls for increased international cooperation in promoting nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.

"China supports Africa's efforts in realizing the objective of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in Africa on a voluntary basis," says the document, adding that China will continue to support the "humanitarian de-mining operations" in Africa and its combat against illicit trade in small arms and light weapons with financial and material assistance and related training.

The two sides also agreed in the document to intensify cooperation to face up to non-traditional security issues, including natural disasters, refugees and displaced persons, illegal migration, transnational crimes, drug smuggling and communicable diseases, which challenge the world peace and security.

They pledged to uphold the important role of the United Nations in international affairs and promote multilateralism and democracy in international relations, says the document, reaffirming respect for the UN Charter, the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and the principles in the Constitutive Act of the African Union.

The UN reform should be based on democratic negotiations and conducive to maintaining unity among UN member states, says the plan, calling for priority of developing countries, African countries in particular, in the UN Security Council reform.

On economic cooperation, the two sides will work together to seek common development, the document says.

China and African countries "resolved" to bolster joint energy and resources exploration and exploitation under the principle of reciprocity and common development, says the action plan.

Noting China and Africa are "highly complementary" in energy and resources sectors, the document says "better information sharing and pragmatic cooperation" in these sectors "serves the long-term interests of both sides."

China will work to help African countries "turn their advantages in energy and resources into development strengths" while giving "high priority" to environmental protection and sustainable development in the continent, the action plan says.

The plan also voices the two sides' determination in combating HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, Ebola, Chikungunya, avian influenza and other communicable diseases.

The Chinese government has decided to assist African countries in building 30 hospitals and provide 300 million yuan (37.5 million U.S. dollars) of grant for providing anti-malaria drugs to African countries and building 30 demonstration centers for prevention and treatment of malaria in the coming three years, it says.

The Chinese government will establish more Confucius Institutes in African countries to meet the locals' needs in Chinese language teaching and will encourage Chinese universities to teach African languages, the plan says.

It also spells out China's decision to help African countries set up 100 rural schools in the coming three years and increase the number of scholarships for African students in China to 4,000 a year by 2009 from the present 2,000.

The Chinese government also vowed to provide annual training for a number of educational officials as well as heads and leading teachers of universities, primary, secondary and vocational schools in Africa, according to the document.

It says China's new decision to extend the Approved Destination Status (ADS) to the nine African countries of Algeria, Cape Verde, Cameroon, Gabon, Rwanda, Mali, Mozambique, Benin and Nigeria has raised the number of ADS countries for Chinese tourists to 26.

The number of Chinese tourists to Africa reached 110,000 in 2005, doubling the 2004 figure, according to the Exit-Entry Administration Bureau of the Public Security Ministry.

The two sides also resolved to promote dialogue and exchanges in environmental protection and cooperation in human resources development, the document says.

Chinese President Hu Jintao announced a package of major assistance, investment, trade and other key cooperation measures with Africa in an effort to forge a new type of strategic partnership on Saturday morning when addressing the opening ceremony of the summit themed on "friendship, peace, cooperation and development."

Later Saturday, a high-level dialogue and entrepreneurs conference opened at the Great Hall of the People, where Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao proposed China and Africa fully tap cooperation potential.