Building a Shared Future: 2018 Summit largest FOCAC meeting to date

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Since its launch in 2000, the Forum for China Africa Cooperation has led Chinese engagement with Africa, and become a significant marker of South-South cooperation. This year the event returns to Beijing, where it's being billed as the largest FOCAC Summit to date. CGTN's Lindy Mtongana brings us a preview.

LINDY MTONGANA BEIJING "The stage is set here for the largest FOCAC summit to date. Fifty-three African delegations will descend upon Beijing for the two-day summit which starts on Monday. They'll be joined by the Chairman of the African Union, the United Nations Secretary General, and 27 international and African observer missions."

Under the theme "China and Africa: Toward an Even Stronger Community with a Shared Future through Win-Win Cooperation", the 2018 Summit hopes to build on the outcomes of the last high-level meeting, held in Johannesburg in 2015.

This year Chinese President Xi Jinping will deliver the keynote speech at the opening ceremony. He's expected to propose new ideas and measures to strengthen relations with Africa, thus enhancing cooperation.

President Xi will also co-host a roundtable discussion alongside South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Industry, infrastructure, and agriculture all rank highly on the agenda, as does China's Belt and Road Initiative. Leaders will look to see how this ambitious plan can advance Africa's own development agenda.

A series of bilateral meetings will also be part of the summit. President Xi has already met with Sierra Leone's Julius Maada Bio and President Alassane Ouattara of Cote d'Ivoire.

LINDY MTONGANA BEIJING "The summit concludes on Tuesday with the signing of a declaration and an action plan, both expected to guide China-Africa cooperation for the next three years. Lindy Mtongana, CGTN, Beijing, China."