Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi arrived in Beijing on Friday for the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation due to open on Nov. 4.

Forty eight African countries that have diplomatic relations with China are to participate in the two-day summit.

China and Ethiopia established diplomatic relations on Nov. 24, 1970. In December 2003, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao visited Ethiopia, and attended the second ministerial conference of the China-Africa Cooperation Forum. Meles Zenawi visited China in 2004.

Ethiopia is currently the co-chair country of the China-Africa Cooperation Forum. It is also a destination country for Chinese tourists.

Bilateral trade totaled 370 million U.S. dollars in 2005.

Source: Xinhua