Chinese president starts state visit to Tanzania (2)

The China-Africa relations have grown more vigorously since 2000, when the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) was established to further bilateral cooperation.

At the FOCAC Beijing Summit in 2006, China and Africa decided to build a new type of strategic partnership, which has deepened bilateral cooperation in all areas in recent years.

The two sides are actively implementing the follow-up actions to the fifth Ministerial Conference of the FOCAC, said then Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi at a press conference earlier this month.

"China and Africa will especially promote cooperation in such fields as investment and financing, assistance, African integration, civilian exchanges, peace and security in Africa," Yang said.

China became Africa's biggest trading partner in 2009. In 2012, bilateral trade grew to 198.4 billion dollars.

China's investment in Africa has also registered strong growth. By June 2012, China had invested 45 billion dollars in Africa, including over 15 billion dollars of direct investment.

Meanwhile, over 2,000 Chinese companies are operating in 50 African countries, and more than 85 percent of their staff are Africans.

China has also stepped up assistance to Africa, with more aid focusing on improving the well-being of local people, poverty reduction, disaster preparedness and mitigation, and capacity building.

Tanzania is the second leg of Xi's maiden foreign trip as president, following Russia.

After his Tanzania visit, Xi will travel to South Africa and the Republic of the Congo.

In South Africa, Xi will attend the fifth BRICS summit in the city of Durban on March 26-27, the first to be held on the African continent.