The 2018 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation has kicked off here in China's capital. Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered the keynote speech at the summit's opening ceremony. He put forward new proposals and announced fresh Chinese measures and initiatives aimed at strengthening cooperation with countries in Africa. CGTN's Hou Na has this report from the Great Hall of People.

Building a community with a shared future, and seeking inclusive growth. The opening ceremony of this year's summit for the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation saw President Xi Jinping outline his vision for China's ties with the African continent in the new era.

XI JINPING CHINESE PRESIDENT "China is the largest developing country in the world, and Africa is home to the largest number of developing countries. China and Africa have already formed a community with a shared future. We stand united with Africa's people, thinking with one mind and working with one heart, to build a stronger community with a shared future between China and Africa, and to thereby set an example for promoting the building of a community with a shared future for all humanity."

HOU NA BEIJING "The Summit presents a crucial opportunity for African and Chinese leaders to discuss how to sustain cooperation and support common prosperity. President Xi has proposed Eight Major Initiatives for the coming three years."

XI JINPING CHINESE PRESIDENT "Under the framework of the 'Ten Major Cooperation Plans', China will work closely with African countries, and implement 'Eight major initiatives' in the next three years and beyond, in fields like industrial acceleration, infrastructure connectivity, trade facilitation, green development, capacity building, healthcare, people-to-people exchanges, and peace and security."

The level of commitment made by President Xi at the 2015 FOCAC summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, was extraordinary, $60 billion in Chinese funds was pledged over a three-year period, including loans and other assistance, like human resources and expertise.

Today, he looked back at what's been achieved so far and set the tone for future development.

XI JINPING CHINESE PRESIDENT "In order to promote the successful implementation of the 'Eight major initiatives', China will provide 60 billion US dollars in support for Africa, through government assistance, financial institutions, and financing from Chinese enterprises. It will include 15 billion US dollars in free aid, interest-free loans and concessional loans; 20 billion US dollars in credit funds; 10 billion US dollars in China-Africa developmental financing; 5 billion US dollars in special funds for import trade from Africa; no less than 10 billion US dollars in investment from Chinese companies over the next three years."

Already, the Summit has passed two outcome documents, including the Beijing Declaration and the FOCAC Action Plan (2019-21). Participants say that, in the current era of globalization, all nations have a common destiny and, to put it in the words of President Xi, "Everyone has in himself, a little bit of others". Hou Na, CGTN, BEIJING.