Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's visit to Egypt and his attendance to a FOCAC meeting from Friday to Sunday have promoted civilization dialogue and China-Africa friendly cooperation, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said Monday.

During the visit, Wen participated in the opening ceremony of the Fourth Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) held in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.

Yang, who accompanied Wen during the trip, said the current world is experiencing tremendous development, transformation and restructuring, adding the international financial crisis is a critical challenge facing the developing countries, including African and Arab nations.

Yang said China is the biggest developing country in the world, which takes it the cornerstone of its foreign policy to strengthen and develop its solidarity and cooperation with other developing countries.

China remains committed to boosting the friendly cooperation with African and Arab countries and safeguarding their common interests, so as to realize common development, he added.

This year would see the wrap-up of the 2006 Beijing Summit of the FOCAC, and is the 10th anniversary of China-Egypt strategic cooperative ties, Yang said.

Premier Wen's visit shows China attaches great importance to its relations with Africa, the Arab world and Egypt, and reflects China's wish and determination to deepen its cooperation with African and Arab countries and to work together to overcome the current difficulties, he added.

New chapter in China-Africa friendly cooperation opened

The Chinese foreign minister said China and Africa have all along understood, supported and helped each other.

Premier Wen, at the opening ceremony of the FOCAC ministerial meeting, comprehensively reviewed the new progress achieved after the Beijing Summit, and explained that the China-Africa cooperation is equal, mutually beneficial and down-to-earth by citing lots of facts and figures.

He said the China-Africa ties have always been able to stand the test of changes on the international arena, and have maintained the strong momentum of development.

Wen announced eight new measures to boost cooperation with Africa, mainly in agriculture, environmental protection, promotion of investment, debt relief, market access expansion, climate change, medical affairs and education.

Yang said Premier Wen also held meetings with many African leaders, and reached a variety of new consensus with them on promoting bilateral and China-Africa cooperation.

The African leaders reiterated that they would continue to support China's core interests, and would coordinate and cooperate with China on major international issues.

Wen said China is willing to support African countries in realizing their stability and development.