Visiting China's top legislator Wu Bangguo said in Cairo Monday that China-Africa political relations are growing from strength to strength, and that strengthening unity and cooperation with Africa is cornerstone of China's independent foreign policy of peace.

Wu, Chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress, made the remarks when addressing the China-Africa Business Cooperation Conference opened here earlier Monday.

He reiterated the eight steps of assistance to Africa announced by Chinese President Hu Jintao at the Beijing Summit last year that China planned to take in the coming three years to promote cooperation with Africa.

Wu said he was glad that the plan has been warmly received by African countries and their people as well as the international community, and China will give priority to public and cultural projects in order to help Africa develop its economy and improve the well-being of its people.

The cooperation between China and the Africa are mainly in the fields of human resources, agriculture, public health, social development and education.

He said the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, which was initiated in October 2000, has become an effective mechanism for collective dialogue and an important platform for promoting comprehensive cooperation between China and Africa.

The Chinese top legislator highly valued the Beijing Summit of the forum held last November, terming it as a milestone in China-Africa relations.

Wu said China is the largest developing country, and Africa is home to the largest number of developing countries, and similar past experiences, common development task and broad common interests have brought China and Africa together.

China and Egypt enjoy mutual understanding, respect and profound friendship, which had stood the test of the times and is growing with full of vitality, he added.

History has shown that China and Africa are close and sincere friends, reliable partners and good brothers, he said.

In international affairs, China and Africa maintain close consultation to uphold the legitimate rights and interests of the developing countries, Wu said.

Frequent exchange of visits by top leaders has greatly enhanced the full growth of China-Africa relations, he said.

Moreover, cultural exchanges are flourishing with 65 cultural exchange and cooperation agreements having been signed between the two sides, he added.

China-Africa economic cooperation is growing rapidly with the China-Africa trade volume reaching 55.5 billion U.S. dollars in2006, a nearly 40 percent increase year-on-year, higher than that of China's trade with any other continent.

Wu, who is currently on a four-day visit in Egypt, also briefed the forum on China's social and economic progress and development since China adopted the reform and opening-up policy, the political system and its efforts to promote social harmony.

Egypt is the first leg of Wu's three-nation tour to Africa and Europe, which will also take him to Hungary and Poland.