The first China-Africa Logistics and Purchase Development Forum was held in Longkou, a port city of Shandong province, on October 24.

About 200 people, including Chinese officers, envoys of African countries in China and business people, attended the forum.

With the theme of “friendship, cooperation, development and win-win”, the forum aimed to build a platform for China and African countries to communicate and cooperate with each other.

"The forum is of great significance in building an effective platform for promoting communication in the logistics and purchase sectors between China and African countries,” Hu Deping, president of China-Africa Business Council said at the forum’s opening ceremony.

Last year saw trade between China and Africa reach $106.8 billion, creating a robust relationship between the two parties.

"The forum is very important because the development of trade logistics is very critical for further growth of markets and investments related to Africa and China,” Silas Mwaniki Kiragu, counselor of Kenya Embassy in China, said.

Located in the south bank of Bohai Sea, Longkou Port is the largest export port to Africa in China. The port currently boasts China-Africa liner routes linked with Angola, Congo, Ethiopia, Sudan, Nigeria and Madagascar.

The throughput of China-Africa general cargo liners reached 1.72 million ton in the first three quarters, accounting for 40 percent of the total amount handled between China and African countries.

Editor Li Jing

By Ju Chuanjiang and Zhao Ruixue (China Daily Shandong Bureau)