Establishment

In the 21st century, to maintain peace and stability and promote development has become a shared aspiration of the peoples around the world. In order to further strengthen the friendly cooperation between China and Africa under the new circumstances, jointly meet the challenge of economic globalization and promote common development, the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) -- Ministerial Conference Beijing 2000 was convened from 10 to 12 October 2000, as initiated by the Chinese government and proposed by some African countries. The purpose of the Conference was to deepen mutual understanding, expand consensus, strengthen friendship and promote cooperation through equal consultation. China and the African countries that have diplomatic relations with China sent delegations to the Conference. Since the Conference, FOCAC has been gradually institutionalized  and become an important platform for collective dialogue and an effective mechanism for enhancing practical cooperation between China and African countries. It also set a successful example of South-South cooperation.

Mechanism

In July 2001, China and Africa held a ministerial consultation in Lusaka, Capital of Zambia. The Procedures of the Follow-up Mechanism of FOCAC was adopted through discussion and became effective in April 2002. It provided that the follow-up mechanism of the Forum shall operate at three levels: the Ministerial Conference, which shall be convened once every three years, and attended by Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Ministers responsible for International Cooperation and/or Financial and Economic Affairs; the Senior Officials Meetings (SOMs), which shall be convened one year ahead of the Ministerial Conference to discuss follow-up activities of the last Ministerial Conference, and a few days before the next Ministerial Conference to prepare for the Conference. The SOMs shall be attended by officials at the level of Directors-General or of equivalent rank from the competent departments of the participating countries; and the meeting between the  Diplomatic Corps of African countries in China and the Secretariat of the Chinese Follow-up Committee, which shall be held at least twice a year, during which the two sides communicate with each other on matters related to the Forum on behalf of their respective governments. The Ministerial Conference and SOMs are held alternately in China and Africa.

During the Beijing Summit in November 2006, leaders of China and African countries agreed to set up a mechanism of regular political dialogue between foreign ministers of the two sides within the FOCAC framework. In the year following each FOCAC Ministerial Conference, foreign ministers from the two sides would hold political consultation in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session to exchange views on major issues of common interest. The FOCAC mechanism became more regular and improved.

Follow-up Committee   

In November 2000, the Chinese side established the Follow-up Committee of FOCAC, which is responsible for coordinating China-Africa cooperation in different fields within the FOCAC framework. After four rounds of adjustments in 2003, 2005, 2008 and 2010, the Committee is currently composed of the following 27 members: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Finance, International Department of CPC Central Committee, National Development and Reform Commission, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Ministry of Land and Resources, Ministry of Environmental Protection, Ministry of Transport (Administration of Civil Aviation), Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Health, People's Bank of China, General Administration of Customs, State Administration of Taxation, General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, State Administration of Radio, Film and Television, National Tourism Administration, Information Office of the State Council, Central Committee of Chinese Communist Youth League, China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, Bank of China, Export-Import Bank of China, National Development Bank, and Beijing Municipal Government.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of Commerce of China serve as the honorary co-chairmen of the Chinese Follow-up Committee of FOCAC, and ministerial level officials of the two ministries who are in charge of African affairs serve as co-chairmen. The Secretariat of the Committee is made up of officials at director-general level from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Commerce and Ministry of Finance, with the Director-General of the Department of African Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs serving as the Secretary-General. The Office of the Committee Secretariat is housed in the Department of African Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.