From left: Premier Zhou Enlai visits Mali in 1964. President Jiang Zemin receives a medal during his visit to Mali in 1996. President Hu Jintao arrives in Mali in 2009. President Xi Jinping visits Tanzania in 2013. Photos Provided to China Daily

April 1955: The Bandung Conference

Premier Zhou Enlai attended the Asian-African Conference in Bandung, Indonesia. This was a key meeting as the world entered the post-colonial era. Zhou's ability to reach out and to empathize with the concerns of countries embracing independence reassured many of the integrity of China's intentions.

May 1956: Establishment of bilateral ties with Egypt

China established diplomatic relations with Egypt on May 30, 1956, the first such diplomatic ties between the People's Republic of China and an African country. China firmly backed Egypt's stance on the Suez Canal and its struggle against colonial interference.

December 1963 - February 1964: Visit by Premier Zhou Enlai to 10 African countries.

October 1971: United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758

This historic vote at the UN saw 26 African countries, along with 50 others, vote in favor of United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758 recognizing the People's Republic of China as the sole legitimate representative of China at the UN. The resolution restored Beijing's seat in the UN and the Security Council of which it had been deprived illegally by Taipei since 1949.

March 1986: President Li Xiannian visited Egypt, Somali and Madagascar.

May 1996: President Jiang Zemin visited Kenya, Ethiopia, Mali, Namibia and Zimbabwe.

October 2000: The foundation of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation

The first ministerial conference of the FOCAC was held in Beijing in October 2000. More than 80 ministers from China and 44 countries and representatives from 17 international and regional organizations attended the meeting. The conference passed the Beijing Declaration of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and the Program for China-Africa Cooperation in Economic and Social Development.

November 2006: The FOCAC Beijing Summit

The summit and the third ministerial conference were held in Beijing. President Hu Jintao and leaders from 35 African countries attended. Hu announced that the China-Africa Development Fund would be established to increase Chinese investment in Africa.

February 2009: President Hu Jintao visited Mali, Senegal, Tanzania and Mauritius.

March 2013: President Xi Jinping visited Tanzania, South Africa and the Republic of Congo.

Xi visited the African nations on his maiden foreign visit as the Chinese head of state, a reflection of Beijing's strong commitment to ties with the continent.

China Daily