China and Africa enjoy a profound friendship, which "is growing ever stronger as time goes by," Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Sunday at the sidelines of the fourth session of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, China.

Last year was the 20th anniversary of the founding of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation. In the past 20 years, the bilateral trade volume has increased by 20 times, while China's direct investment in Africa has increased by 100 times.

"China-Africa cooperation stands as a model of South-South cooperation and a fine example of international cooperation with Africa," Wang added. 

Confronted with the international challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic, China has provided nearly 120 batches of emergency anti-coronavirus supplies to Africa, dispatched medical expert teams to 15 countries, and provided vaccines to 35 African countries and the African Union Commission.

"China will work with Africa to pursue high-quality Belt and Road cooperation and build an even stronger community with a shared future to drive Africa's development and revitalization."