Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika has said the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) should become an effective platform for enhancing mutual understanding among the developing countries and further strengthening South-South cooperation.

In an exclusive interview with Xinhua, Bouteflika said as a member of the world's developing countries, China was better aware of the difficulties and demands of African nations in their development progress than other big powers.

China-Africa cooperation established on the basis of mutual understanding not only helped the African continent accelerate its own development, but also helped China win the friendship of African countries, the president said, adding that China-Africa cooperation would help establish a fair and reasonable world order under the new international situation.

He said world peace and stability were facing a severe challenge. The facts had proved that superpowers could not guarantee world peace and security. It only depends on the developing countries themselves to maintain stability and peace.

Bouteflika also called on developing countries to further strengthen solidarity and coordination under the framework of the Non-Aligned Movement and G77 plus China.

FOCAC is a mechanism for collective dialogue and cooperation jointly established by China and Africa to cope with new challenges and facilitate common development.

The summit, due to be held from Nov. 3-5 and to be attended by some 30 African heads of state or government, will be the highest-level and largest-scale meeting between Chinese and African leaders since China and African countries started to forge cooperative ties in the 1950s.

(Xinhua News Agency October 14, 2006 )