Your Excellency President Gnassingbe Eyadema,


Your Excellency President Abdelaziz Bouteflika,


Your Excellency President Frederick J.T. Chiluba,


Your Excellency President Benjamin Willian Mkapa,


Your Excellency President General Salim Ahamed Salim,


Your Excellencies Ministers,


Ladies and Gentlemen,


Dear Friends,


This evening, as a gesture of friendship by the Chinese Government and people, Vice Premier Qian Qichen and I are hosting, on behalf of the Chinese Government, this welcoming banquet in honor of our African friends and distinguished guests from some international and regional organizations attending the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, Ministerial Conference Beijing 2000, We would like to extend our warmest welcome to all the guests present.


This Forum is a grand gathering in the history of the relations between China and African countries. The Government and people of China feel very much honored to be the host of the Conference, and sincerely wish the meeting a success and all the distinguished guests an enjoyable stay in China.


Now, I would like to invite Vice Premier Qian Qichen to make a speech.