Optimistic

Zhang Zhongxiang is quite optimistic with the Sino-African relations in 2012. One of the most important events promoting the relations between China and Africa is the Fifth Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), which will be held in Beijing in 2012. "Undoubtedly, new measures will be put forward to further strengthen the bilateral relations as you can see that the measures put forward at the previous conferences proved to be quite effective," said Zhang, adding that the implementation of these measures will be checked one by one.

At the Fourth Ministerial Conference of FOCAC held in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt in 2009, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao put forward eight measures to strengthen bilateral relations in areas such as climate change, cooperation in science and technology and scholar exchanges. "Among all the areas, I think climate change and scholar exchange will still be hot button issues in the FOCAC Summit in 2012," stressed Zhang, adding that exchanges between scholars of China and African countries was one of the most important events taking place under the framework of the FOCAC.

In October 2011, the first China-Africa Think Tanks Forum was held in Hangzhou City of east China's Zhejiang Province. More than 300 renowned scholars, government officials and entrepreneurs from China, 27 African countries and regional organizations such as the AU, had extensive dialogues.

"Because of historical reasons, many African scholars studying Chinese issues study against the academic background of the Western countries and the materials they use are also from the West. This way, they cannot get an objective impression on China," said Zhang.

By exchanging views with their Chinese counterparts and visiting China, African scholars can have a close look at China. Meanwhile, Chinese scholars can also better understand the views of African scholars.

"This is very important for both China and African countries because think tanks can influence not only the business circle, but also the governments in the process of making decisions," stressed Zhang.