Meles said that the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) was a "clear demonstration of the utmost determination" of Chinese and African leaders to bring their time-cemented relations to a higher level.

Pointing to promoting good governance and achieving peace and stability as the current challenges of African countries, he stressed that the Sino-African strategic partnership must reflect the changed circumstances in Africa and be geared up for its new mission.

He said that the economic complementarity between Africa and China was huge. "Africa provides to the growing Chinese economy a reliable field for investment, trade and the utilization of natural resources for mutual benefit. China provides for Africa a source of successful development experience, technology transfer, trade and investment."

The prime minister said that African people had "very high expectations" from the renewed Sino-African strategic partnership and "welcomed" China's tremendous progress in the economic and other fields.

Africa and China had both been victimized by colonialism and suffered grave aftermath. To rejuvenate themselves, both of the two need a stable and tranquil domestic and global environment, which, Meles said, "constitutes another solid basis" for the renewed Sino-African strategic partnership.

"I am convinced that Africa is fully ready to re-affirm and renew its strategic partnership with China. Our peoples have followed China's achievement with interest and sympathy and are inspired by it," he said.

On Friday, the third ministerial conference of the FOCAC deliberated on a draft declaration and decided to submit it to the summit, in hope of passing it Saturday.

Without revealing the details, the prime minister said that the draft documents were "practical proofs" of China's commitment to the partnership.

He said that China, with extraordinary success in economic development and other fields, has now more means at its disposal to assist Africa to overcome its current economic challenges and is already having a marked impact on Africa's economic future.

"The commitment of China to the principle of the sovereign equality among nations and non-interference in the affairs of others, has provided Africa the opportunity to forge a partnership that is based on trust and mutual confidence," he said.

Chinese President Hu Jintao assured delegations from 48 African countries present for the two-day event that China will maintain high-level contacts, establish a regular high-level political dialogue mechanism and conduct strategic dialogue to enhance mutual political trust and traditional friendship and achieve common progress through unity.

"In this new era, China and Africa share increasing common interests and have a growing mutual need. The forging of a new type of China-Africa strategic partnership is determined by the dynamics of China-Africa cooperation, and it represents our wish to promote global peace and development," Hu said.