On the morning of July 23, the 5th China-Africa People’s Forum opened in Chengdu.

　　General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to the forum.

　　Vice President Wang Qishan attended the opening ceremony and delivered a keynote speech. Mr. Meriton，Chairman of Seychelles People’s Party, Vice President of the Republic of Seychelles, and Mr. Muamba, Prime Minister of the Republic of Congo delivered speeches.

　　Mr. Song Tao, Minister of the International Department, Central Committee of CPC, read the congratulatory letter. Mr. Sun Jiazheng, Vice Chairman of the 11th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, President of the China NGO Network for International Exchanges, attended the opening ceremony. Mr. Peng Qinghua, Secretary of Sichuan Provincial Committee of the CPC, delivered a speech. Mr. Yin Li, Vice Secretary of Sichuan Provincial Committee of the CPC, Governor of Sichuan Provincial People’s Government, and Mr. Deng Xiaogang, Vice Secretary of Sichuan Provincial Committee of the CPC attended the meeting.

　　In his keynote speech, Mr. Wang Qishan said that President Xi Jinping sending a congratulatory letter to the forum fully reflected the importance attached by our party and government to the non-governmental exchanges and cooperation between China and Africa. The Chinese and African people have always been breathing together, sharing their destiny with connected hearts. We form a natural union of a true “family”. In 2015, at the Johannesburg Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, President Xi Jinping proposed the “Five Pillars” and “Ten Cooperation Plans” for China-Africa comprehensive strategic partnership. In the past three years, China-Africa exchanges and cooperation in various fields have achieved fruitful results, entering into a new era with a new step. China will continue to uphold the true and sincere policy and correct view of justice and interests to promote the development of China-Africa relations to a higher level and a wider field.

　　Mr. Wang Qishan emphasized that the relationship between countries must be implemented in that among people. We must work together to build a closer community of common destiny because China-Africa non-governmental exchanges and cooperation have broad prospects and great potential. It is hoped that non-government institutions and individuals in China and Africa will be promoters of political mutual trust and economic mutual benefit, practitioners of mutual understanding of civilizations, watchers of security and mutual assistance, and collaborators of multilateral interaction.

　　In his speech, Mr. Peng Qinghua expressed his warm congratulations on the success of the forum on behalf of the provincial party committee, the provincial government and the 91 million Sichuan people. He expressed sincere welcome to all the guests who came from afar and expressed sincere gratitude to friends from all walks of life who have long been concerned about Sichuan’s development. Mr. Peng Qinghua said that the “Belt and Road Initiative” proposed by President Xi Jinping has been responded positively and participated extensively around the world, opening up a new chapter of cooperation between China and Africa to build it and share development achievements. Sichuan is the starting place of the ancient “Southern Silk Road”, an important node for the construction of the “Belt and Road Initiative”, and one of the provinces where China and Africa are very active in exchanges. We are willing to work with African countries and regions to vigorously promote policy communication, facility connectivity, trade, financial resources, and humanities exchanges, and continuously deepen cooperation in the fields of economy, trade, industry, education, medical care, culture, tourism, and talents, contributing Sichuan’s power to a closer China-African community of common destiny.

　　After the opening ceremony, Mr. Wang Qishan met with Meriton and Muamba.

　　When meeting with Meriton, Mr. Wang Qishan said that the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation will be held in September this year. President Xi Jinping will work with African leaders to set the direction and a blueprint for building closer China-Africa relations. China is willing to deepen mutual understanding and trust with Seychelles, strengthening the exchange of state and political affairs, implementing the true concept of sincerity, and cooperating closely in various fields such as the construction of the “Belt and Road” to benefit people early. Meriton said that Africa-China and Seychelles-China cooperation adhere to the concept of equal respect, cooperation and win-win, which has set a good example for building a fairer, more just and more reasonable global order. He hopes to deepen the friendship between the two countries and people.

　　When meeting with Muamba, Mr. Wang Qishan said that President Xi Jinping and President Sassou have jointly pointed out the direction for the development of China-Congo comprehensive strategic partnership. China supports the efforts of Congo to develop and prosper the country. On the eve of the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, the 5th China-Africa People’s Forum was held at the right time. It is hoped that both sides will work together to promote exchanges and cooperation in various fields. Muamba said that the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and supporting conferences have demonstrated the Africa-China cooperation in a sincere, united, pragmatic and win-win situation. Congo thanks the support and assistance China has always given; it is willing to further promote pragmatic cooperation in various fields and accelerate the realization of the “Belt and Road Initiative” to jointly build a community of common destiny between China and Africa.

　　Mr. Wang Yajun, Consultant of the China NGO Network for International Exchanges, Vice Minister of International Department, Central Committee of CPC, chaired the opening meeting. Provincial leaders including Fan Ruiping, Wang Minghui, Liu Jie, Zhu Hexin, Ye Hanbing, Chen Fang, and Chengdu municipal leader Luo Qiang, Dou Enyong, Vice President of China NGO Network for International Exchanges, representatives of NGOs and think tanks from more than 30 African countries (regions), representatives of China-African civil organizations and think tanks, and representatives of Chinese and African enterprises attended the meeting.