Assistant Foreign Minister Chen Xiaodong Attends the Launching Ceremony of the Official Website of the 2018 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC)

On August 8, 2018, Assistant Foreign Minister Chen Xiaodong attended the Launching Ceremony of the Official Website of the 2018 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). Diplomatic envoys of African countries to China who were present at the ceremony included head of the delegation of diplomatic envoys of African countries to China and Madagascan Ambassador to China Victor Sikonina, and South African Ambassador to China Dolana Msimang. South Africa is the African co-chair of the FOCAC.

Assistant Foreign Minister Chen Xiaodong expressed in his speech that all parties hold high expectation on the upcoming FOCAC Beijing Summit, at which the Chinese and African leaders will discuss together the undertakings of the development of China-Africa friendly cooperation in the new era, and jointly build an even closer China-Africa community of shared future. It is believed that under the joint efforts of both sides, the FOCAC Beijing Summit will surely be a historic event that enhances unity and cooperation between China and Africa.

Chen Xiaodong said that in order to help the African friends and friends from various countries around the world who care for China-Africa cooperation to get the information of the Summit in time, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China has established the official website of the Summit (focacsummit.mfa.gov.cn), which includes six sections, namely Headlines, The Summit, Side Events, Opinion, Services and Videos. The website will serve as the authoritative releasing platform for news and important information about the FOCAC Beijing Summit. Diplomatic envoys of African countries to China are welcome to recommend this website to respective peoples, and journalists are welcome to actively promote this website.

In his speech, Ambassador Victor Sikonina expressed congratulations on the launching of the official website of the FOCAC Beijing Summit, and believed that the launching of this website before the convening of the Summit is at exactly the right time and of extraordinary significance. He wishes the FOCAC Beijing Summit a complete success to boost China-Africa cooperation for greater development.

Afterwards, Assistant Foreign Minister Chen Xiaodong, Ambassador Victor Sikonina and Ambassador Dolana Msimang pressed the buttons together, officially launching the website. Central media including China Central Television, People's Daily, Xinhua News Agency, China National Radio, and China Radio International, as well as African journalists from China-Africa Press Center of China International Press Communication Center covered the event.