Though thousands of miles apart, China, the world's largest developing country, along with Africa, the continent with the largest concentration of developing countries, share a traditional friendship of mutual support and understanding. 

In 2000, China and Africa co-established the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), with joint mechanisms to conduct regular evaluations of follow-up actions. 

The Forum has grown gradually from a series of small steps mainly focused on aid, trade, debt relief and personnel training to a comprehensive platform that covers industrialization, agricultural modernization, finance, green development, people-to-people exchanges, and security. 

With Sino-Africa relationships continuing to develop, a model of "extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits," as opposed to colonialism or neo-colonialism, is underway. 

The 2018 Beijing FOCAC Summit summarizes and evaluates prior activities and actions, and it plans and sets expectations for the future direction of bilateral relationships.