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On 23rd December, the Secretariat of the Chinese Follow-up Committee of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation(FOCAC) held consultation with the African diplomatic envoys in China. The consultation was co-chaired by Madame Xu Jinghu, Secretary General of the Follow-up Committee and Director-General of the Department of African Affairs of the Chinese Foreign Ministry and H.E. Mr. Eleih-Elle Etian, Ambassador of Cameroon and dean of the diplomatic corps. Over 40 diplomats from African missions in China attended the consultation.

Madame Xu Jinghu, Secretary General of the Follow-up Committee, briefed the envoys on the implementation of the follow-up activities of FOCAC in 2004 and the working plan for 2005. Madame Gao Yuanyuan, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Aid to Foreign Countries, Mr. Zhou Yabin, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Western Asian and African Affairs of the Ministry of Commerce, Mr. Kang Qiang, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Tariff Collection of the General Administration of Customs respectively briefed the envoys on China's aid to Africa and China's cooperation with African countries in human resources development in 2004, economic cooperation and trade between China and Africa and the progress made in zero-tariff treatment for some of the products exported to China from the least developed countries in Africa in 2004.

The diplomatic envoys spoke highly of the efforts made and active results achieved by the Chinese side on the implementation of the follow-up activities of FOCAC. They made suggestions on the future work of FOCAC and wished to keep close contacts and cooperation with the Chinese side on it.