A major Sino-African summit wrapped up in Beijing on Tuesday with a commitment for strengthened cooperation between Beijing and African nations, setting the course for new partnerships in areas from trade and security to people-to-people exchange over the next three years.

The Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), at which Chinese President Xi Jinping hosted leaders of over 50 African countries as well as heads of regional and international organizations, concluded with the signing of the Beijing Declaration and an action plan, following on from Xi's pledge on Monday of 60 billion US dollars in financing for African nations.

Read more: Chinese and African leaders map out guidelines for further cooperation

'Best in history'

Xi, speaking at a joint press conference with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Senegalese President Macky Sall, the new co-chair of FOCAC, on Tuesday evening, said the summit had achieved great success and significant outcomes.

The Chinese president urged all sides to work together to deliver on agreements made at FOCAC 2018 as he hailed a "new chapter" in China-Africa relations.

He told the press that "China-Africa relations are at their best in history" and that the Belt and Road Initiative could be synergized with the development plans of the United Nations and African Union as well as those of individual countries.

Rampaphosa described the summit as "historic" and said he was heartened by the cooperation among leaders behind the scenes, describing FOCAC as an "action-orientated" mechanism. 

There are "great opportunities" for Africa in the Belt and Road Initiative, the South African president added, saying the plan was central to discussions during the summit. 

Sall described the Beijing summit as a success, praised the "strength and sincerity" of Xi's commitment to Africa and said relations had entered a "golden age." 

Individual lives

Despite the spectacle of over 50 leaders gathering under one roof in the Chinese capital, the summit played out in a relatively low-key environment with a focus on continuing to foster an environment for successful partnerships through eight new cooperation initiatives. 

The initiatives include promoting industrial cooperation, developing infrastructure connectivity, facilitating trade, protecting the environment, capacity building, people-to-people exchange, security, and upgrading health aid programs.

And beyond the headline announcements, a range of small scale cooperation projects were discussed at sub-forums aimed at making a direct impact on individual lives – from language courses to increased direct flights – a theme struck by Xi in his keynote speech on Monday. 

"China-Africa cooperation must give Chinese and African people tangible benefits and successes that can be seen, that can be felt," the Chinese president said. 

Ramaphosa emphasized the importance of strengthening people-to-people contacts to further strengthen bonds. "Our people are our greatest asset, and we will continue investing in them," he said.

Geopolitical outlook 

Xi on Monday emphasized China's "five-nos" policy, including non-interference, as African leaders refuted claims that China is engaged in "neo-colonialism."

"In the values that it promotes, in the manner that it operates, and the impact it has on African countries, FOCAC refutes the view that a new colonialism is taking hold in Africa, as our detractors would have us believe," Ramaphosa said on Monday.

Xi on Tuesday urged Africa's international partners to respect the sovereignty of African countries, and said he hoped all partners could contribute to peace and development on the continent. 

He also reiterated China's desire to safeguard an open world economy and the multilateral trading system.

The summit took place as the United States has taken a back step from Africa since the election of Donald Trump. Although US companies continue to be significant investors, the US president has yet to visit Africa and has made disparaging remarks about African countries. 

Ramped up diplomatic activity from European countries, notably France, Germany and the UK, over the past 18 months indicates that the potential of African countries continues to attract attention from around the world. 

But as the FOCAC Summit 2018 drew to a close, the emphasis was on continued "hand-in-hand" development between China and Africa – and delivering on the agreements made in Beijing.